We have our regular visit to Houay Kua village in Met district on 8th may 2013. Sivone (program Officer –OAU) and myself were interested to get more updates on irrigation system working and how the benefits have reached to the people?
We met
4 beneficiaries Mr. Chong Cher Vang, Mr. Nyla po yang, Mr. ka vue yang, Mr. fue
yang who are benefiting from irrigation
system constructed by Oxfam Australia under the AUSAID grant in 2009.
(In Picture: first row left : Mr. Chong, Mr Sivone,
rear row from left: Mr. ka vue yang, Mr. fue yang, Mr. Nyla po yang)
Mr. Chong cher vang 41 years old having 11 members family ( 7 children, wife and sister in law) to take care of.
Mr.
Chong says “we are very thankful to Oxfam for having this system
constructed in our village; we are 13 families and total of 10 ha.
land benefitting from this system, before we had no irrigation so we used
to plant rice and keep waiting for rain, I am having 1 ha. land and the
rice yield was 3.0 ton/ ha.”
He says
“3.0 ton rice was only good for 7-8 months so we used to have food gap of 4-5
months every year, we kept selling our animals and used the cash to buy rice
for many years un till irrigation system constructed..”
Mr.
chong with happy face mention that “After irrigation system
established my rice production increased from 3.0 ton to 5.0
ton/ ha. and the quality seeds improved as well so i am having no rice
shortage, my family have enough rice to eat for the whole year”
I was
further curios to know that how they are going to maintain irrigation system?
The
group mentioned that they have Irrigation committee which is responsible for regular
operations and maintenance of system. The beneficiaries have decided to
contribute 10,000 kip (1.5 USD)/ year towards the maintenance fund.
Mr.
Chong mention that during Haima typhoon 2011 the banks of irrigation system
were eroded but all 13 families together contributed labour + 1.0 million kip
(approx 125 USD) to repair and bring back the system in use.
Mr.
Chong and Mr. Nyla says “now we have running water in our farm all throughout
the year so we are encouraged to grow vegetables and surprisingly we are having
80-100 kg of vegetable production for the period when we have no rice on field
(Jan-June) ... we have more than enough vegetables for house hold consumption so
we are selling a big amount of vegetables in the village morning market (talat
sao) which usually takes place twice a month and people from surrounding
districts and villages come to buy. we can sale up to 50-60 kg. Veg. / month
@ 3000 kip/ kg... so apart from enough rice we have additional income of
150,000 kip (approx 20 $)/ month which enables us to save our animals,
spend on medical and education and extra cash for emergency if any.”
I asked
them do you think this system will continue working. They said sure if not then
we have money to repair and make it work. We (13 families) are not relying on
outside help any more.
This is
how the irrigation systems contribute to sustainable “food security”!!!
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-Story and pictures by Manish Mehta – PM Oxfam
Australia - Laos
- Translation help from Sivone – PO Oxfam Australia- Laos
