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2016
In January 2016, 30 farmers from Letmaung Gwe Village Tract in Shan State conducted a five day exposure visit to the Department of Agricultural Research, a ginger drying factory and Cesvi. The farmers learnt about a variety of value chains including seed selection, groundnut cultivation, seed bank management, ginger processing and a variety of groundnut product processing techniques. The Minister of Agriculture U Myint Hlaing personally came and spoke to the farmers.
Through the trip farmers gained new ideas about the cultivation and processing of their own crops and improved their relationship with the Government.
These activities are a part of the USAID-funded Value Chains for Rural Development project which is supporting farmers in Southern Shan state to increase incomes through the improvement of agricultural practices, products, and marketing.
Farmer Field Schools
Also in January 2016, as part of the Winrock and Himalica projects, 6 sessions of farmer field schools were held (one for each project village) with 185 men and women participants. The sessions taught participants about natural methods of pest control, dangers of hormone use and there was an open discussion and evaluation of the Farmer Field School. Farmers who had participated in the exposure visit to the Department of Agriculture, ginger factory and Cesvi shared what they had learnt on their trip with the field school participants.