Rainy season, agro-ecology and climate change: the challenges of dual seasonality in Cambodia

by | 20 Dec 2021 | Agroecology training, Sustainable agriculture and environment, Vocational training

Marie Hooker, intern in the agroecology program, arrived in Siem Reap at the end of August, right in the middle of the rainy season. Here she explains the findings and issues she noticed during this important period in Cambodia. 

Cambodia’s climate is tropical and humid. During the year, a dry season alternates with a rainy season, which accounts for 80% of the annual rainfall. We are just coming out of this rainy season, which runs from May to November, and which is of crucial importance for agricultural production.

Cambodian farmers are used to living with this double season and have adapted their farming systems. Rice, for example, is grown year-round in six-month cropping cycles, with sowing and harvesting dates aligned with the onset of the dry and rainy seasons. This ensures that the crops are harvested with the right moisture content and means that the rice can be stored for up to six months.

For the farmers that we accompany, the rainy season is a complicated time, as the humidity level becomes too high for the production of vegetables and the heavy rains cause damage to the soil and crops. A drop in production during this period is therefore to be expected (even more so this year when the effect has been amplified by the sanitary crisis). It is much easier to control the cropping system in the dry season, where, with sufficient water,  the vegetables grow without difficulty.

I was able to observe for myself the consequences of the rainy season on our farmers’ farms. The first and most obvious one is the flooding of the gardens. Most farms have a portion of their garden flooded during the last two months of the rainy season (September to November). This happens every year and they are prepared for it, but it does mean that they have only a small area to cultivate during this period.

Another direct consequence is that the humidity and recurrent rains are particularly conducive to the development of diseases and pests on the crops. It is common for an entire crop to die suddenly from a fungus or insect attack. Without pesticides, it is very difficult to counter these attacks when they occur, so we only have preventive techniques, the effectiveness of which depends on the entire agro-ecological exploitation of the garden.

Heavy rains also cause significant damage to the soil. Bare soil risks the formation of a crust, i.e. compacting of the surface, making seed germination difficult. There is also a risk of erosion and loss of nutrients from rain. Sowing is therefore particularly difficult at this time of year, due to the formation of the crust and the fragility of the young seedlings, which cannot withstand the violence of the rains.

Faced with all these problems, our farmers are forced to adapt their practices.

They sow their crops under shelters, they are more attentive to the emergence of diseases and they are more cautious about the types of vegetables they grow. They switch to crops that are easier to grow, that they are comfortable with and that are less susceptible to disease. The mistake would be to continue to grow fragile crops, permanently introducing the disease or pest into the garden.

Agro-ecology consists in making the agricultural system work in accordance with natural processes, forming a whole. Its principles therefore offer solutions that allow production not in spite of, but in harmony with the rainy season. To avoid soil erosion, we need to maintain a permanent cover of the soil, using green manure, for example. This promotes soil life, improves its structure and provides nutrients that will be useful for the next crop. To avoid the proliferation of diseases, we cultivate adapted and diversified varieties, which increase the biodiversity of the agro-ecosystem and improve its functioning as an ecosystem. Thus, by allowing the garden to function according to these natural processes, the rainy season is no longer a constraint but an asset: it is the moment to sow green manure that would otherwise have taken the place of a crop, to collect water hyacinths to make compost, or to diversify one’s cropping system by growing adapted vegetables.

These techniques may seem less productive over the short term, and it is sometimes difficult for our farmers to apply them, knowing that they will not earn a direct income. However, the creation of a functional agro-ecosystem will allow them to obtain a stable production in the medium and long term. The more they implement techniques to preserve their soils and promote biodiversity, the easier it will be for them to cultivate crops during the rainy season, and the more resilient their gardens will be in the face of increasingly marked climatic variability.

The problems mentioned here are not specific to the rainy season. Soil erosion, the appearance of crop diseases and pests, as well as the loss of crop biodiversity are global problems that affect all agricultural systems, and which are particularly highlighted by the rainy season. The alternating dry and wet seasons make Cambodia particularly vulnerable to climate change, as this will mean more drought in the dry season and more extreme conditions in the rainy season. The rainy season is becoming more and more unpredictable, increasing uncertainty for farmers about what they will be able to produce.

It is therefore essential to promote agricultural systems that can cope with these challenges, that are adapted to the dual seasonality, but that are also resilient to future variability. To be sustainable, these systems must be agro-ecological, i.e. based on natural processes and the careful observation of the environment, all of which are the antithesis of Western agribusiness models.

Four lessons to be learned from this exceptional year

Four lessons to be learned from this exceptional year

by | 20 Dec 2021 | Agroecology training, Bakery and pastry school, Coffee Shop, General education, Health, hygiene and food, Primary school, Secondary school support, Social and families support, Sustainable agriculture and environment, Vocational training

Thorth, Vantha, Rithy, Sakoth and Soky come back with their words on these last two years and on what lessons they have learned. What tools will we keep in the future? What did we learn?

Resilience, solidarity and adaptability: these are the terms that have guided their work and become the driving force behind their commitment.

Lesson #1: Learn to anticipate to better apprehend

If you ask Thorth, Deputy Executive Director of the Bayon School, what he remembers about the past year, his first words are “unpredictable” and “stressful”. Indeed, his main goal over the past few months has been “to make sure that we would be able to maintain the education of all our students at a stable level: we had to consider which were the essential actions where we needed to mobilize our efforts and which were the ones where we could slow down, to make sure that we would be able to meet this goal, despite the situation.” 

He explains that we had to consult, debate and make decisions to respond to the emergency, without knowing how the crisis would evolve: “This taught me to analyze and question myself more about future issues in order to anticipate this type of situation as well as possible, even though they are exceptional.”

“We learned to adapt quickly and to find a solution to each problem, thanks to the commitment of the entire team: the challenge was to move forward day after day and to think about our actions in the short term to ensure an optimal efficiency.”

Thorth, Deputy Executive Director.

Lesson #2: Communicate better to be aware of each other’s needs

The implementation of online courses within our training and the obligation to visit our primary school students in the villages made us realize that it was essential to be aware of everyone’s needs.

“We became aware of everyone’s needs because we were with them on a daily basis, in their villages and their environment. We were able to discuss with the parents, especially those whose children are having the most difficulty. Today, this allows us to go back to school knowing which students we need to follow more closely, even though we are back to functioning normally.”

Vantha, Primary School Director.

The development of online education – Zoom, YouTube and Telegram – means that our baking school students have been able to use these different communication channels to stay in constant contact with our teams and their peers. Sokly, our pastry teacher, and Rithy, the new director of the pastry school, were therefore never disconnected from the reality of each one, quite the contrary.

“Each platform had its purpose. Zoom was a way to discuss together any questions related to the courses but also a space where students could hear and exchange with each other. YouTube allowed students to review at their own rhythm and to prepare their questions for our online meetings. Finally, Telegram was our main tool to discuss more informal, but all the more important, subjects at this time: how they are feeling, their emotions about the crisis and how we can help them. It allowed us to stay connected with them and for them to feel that we were listening to them.”

Rithy, Pastry School Director.

Lesson #3: Focus on short and local circuits

When the town of Siem Reap closed and all activities were suspended, the Vegetable Garden Project team was faced with a major dilemma: how to sell the vegetables produced by our farmers and avoid losses? 

“Most of the farmers could no longer move between villages while the vegetable production was increasing. They had no way of selling their vegetables and we needed to find solutions. Working with the social team and the follow up team, we decided to buy back the vegetables and then redistribute them to our beneficiary families. They were therefore assured of having an income to take care of their families and we were assured that our beneficiaries would have something to eat despite the loss of their jobs,” said Sakoth, manager of the vegetable garden project and the agro-ecology school. “This project has strengthened the work of our farmers and made them aware of the role they play in Bayon’s chain of support. They are increasingly motivated to learn and to become more involved, so that it benefits everyone.” 

From a more global perspective, the complete absence of tourists has had a considerable impact on our activities, mainly that of the Coffee Shop. For Thorth, it was the opportunity to rethink our relationship with the local population, so that we would not be completely dependent on tourists. “The closure of the Coffee Shop was not easy to manage since its income finances our pastry training program. We had to find new solutions. Today, we would like to develop local products so that we can serve a local clientele and increase our visibility in Siem Reap.“

Sreyleak, Coffee Shop Manager.

Lesson #4: Working better as a team for greater efficiency

The social team, in constant contact with our students and their families, has been at the heart of our actions for many months. Their work has been essential in following up with our families and responding effectively to the emergency. Soky, head of the social team, is proud of the work accomplished by her colleagues.

“We had to work hand in hand and it was not always easy. We had to think about our actions as a team, to divide the tasks. We realized what needed to be done and had to prepare ourselves to be more effective in the field. I’m really proud of our work; we’ve been busy, it has been hard work, but we have never stopped thinking about the families and the children.”

Soky, Social Team Manager.

Outside the Bayon School team, it was also necessary to work closely with the local authorities, as it was difficult to get around. “We worked jointly with the village and community chiefs. They often acted as a relay between our beneficiaries and our teams, which allowed us to keep in touch, even when we could not move between areas,” explains Thorth.

What we remember from that time is the force of teamwork: we can help each other to help those most in need. The team is more close-knit now than ever before.

Become aware of its role

Become aware of its role

by | 20 Dec 2021 | Agroecology training, Bakery and pastry school, General education, Primary school, Secondary school support, Social and families support, Sustainable agriculture and environment, Vocational training

 It has been 4 months since I landed in Cambodia and the time has flown by. Since my release from quarantine, it has been a whirlwind of discoveries and sometimes I feel like I only arrived yesterday…. 

I had been warned that Siem Reap was all over the place and that the passage of Covid had had a considerable impact on the town; add to all that the renovation of the roads and the first impression is –  how can I say – dusty? 

Furthermore, the closing of 80% of the hotels, restaurants and bars gave the city, at that time, the appearance of a ghost town. Even though the shock was a bit brutal, I had had the time to anticipate it and prepare myself for it, which surely made my arrival smoother than it could have been.

After these first impressions, I was able to meet the team of the Bayon School and discover what we – the school, the local team, all the hard work – are committed to achieving. And what a joy! 

I was able to visit the agro-ecology school, the pastry school, where the offices are, and the primary school, such a special place being located within the temples and sheltered from the sun and the noise of the city. If all the schools were still closed, the discovery of these places allowed me to put real images on those I had imagined.

I also visited the farmers to discover their vegetable gardens and was impressed by the work of these women who work the land, often alone, and whose production allows us to feed our beneficiary families. There is so much to say about them and the few pictures I was able to take often speak for themselves.

I remember that, after this first visit, Sakoth, the agroecology program manager, took me back into town on his motorcycle and, having no idea which way we were going, I let myself be driven around. What a surprise when I realized that we were on the road to the temples as I saw rise before me these magnificent stones and the impressive Angkor Wat.

I was stunned by this spectacle and realized how very lucky I am to be here, in the middle of a pandemic.

Today, 4 months later, I have had time to find my feet and I know Siem Reap (almost) like the back of my hand. The sanitary situation has clearly improved since September and we no longer have any restrictions, which allows us to appreciate the town differently. The roads are almost finished, we can see some tourists coming back and this gives us hope that we are heading towards better times – even if the situation in Europe alarms many people.

My work has taken on its full dimension by being here. I know why and for whom I am involved, I see the results of our actions and I observe the progress we are making. I have exchanged with the team, I have listened to their life stories and their reflections and I am aware of the role we have as volunteers in the field.

I wonder about what we have and must bring to them, how to be a support, at their side, whilst letting them guide their projects because they, more than anyone, know the issues of their country, the consequences of their history and the situations in which the most vulnerable populations are. I think it is important, when we go into the field, to be aware of these different issues and to know how to take a step back when the reflection is too far from our reality and from what we think we know about the country we are visiting. 

I feel that we need to be aware of the fact that, while most of us are just passing through, for those who live here and work at the Bayon School, this really is a lifelong commitment.

I see my role as a small hand in the shadows, helping to shine some light on the team’s work. I like to share my knowledge with them and give them the tools to do it for themselves, to exchange with them and to question myself on the way we articulate our work to make sure that it bears fruit. 

I like the idea that we are here to sow what we know and direct the work towards fair and sustainable decisions. Socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. Not to reproduce the same patterns that we all know, but to offer our children a better future and to give them the keys to understand today’s world whilst designing their own world for the future. 

During my time at the Bayon School, I hope to develop these ideas, to tell the story behind the hard work, to share the questions we ask and the answers we find. I hope to transcribe in my writing and the contents I share with you, this dynamic that we want to establish, to question myself and to question you in turn on the difficulties encountered here, which, although they are physically far from you, are very often the echo of what we encounter at home.

I hope to be able to show you the will and commitment of our members, of a local team that never loses sight of its objective: to offer children a quality education and to ensure them a better future.

Discovering new challenges – Laurane’s feedback

Discovering new challenges – Laurane’s feedback

by | 27 Sep 2021 | Agroecology training, Sustainable agriculture and environment, Vocational training

Laurane was an intern at the Agroecology School from March to August 2021. Although the health situation was difficult during this period, she comes back with words on what she learned here, and the memories she takes with her to France.

What was your first step or your goal in coming here?

I arrived in Cambodia in March 2021 for a 6-month internship during my gap year from my agricultural engineering school (ENSAT Toulouse, France). My mother has been working for over 15 years in the French-Cambodian association “Pour un Sourire d’Enfant” and she visits Cambodia every year. Since I was a child, I have heard so much about this country on the other side of the world; it seemed very close to me although we do not hear much about it in the media. I am very sensitive to the social situation in Cambodia and its history; I think it is essential to give the tools to each population to succeed in moving towards sustainable, solidary and self-sufficient food production.

Coming here, I wanted to help and accompany women and families in the field so that they could become autonomous and independent, thanks to market gardening and agroecology. I am convinced that agroecology is a lever to counter climate change and social problems related to food and health, which are present all too often in developing countries.

What was your role during these 6 months?

The arrival of Covid in Cambodia made the period somewhat complicated, as the lockdowns and quarantines prevented us from visiting the farmers to ensure a regular follow-up as well as the vegetable distribution to the beneficiary families. These last 6 months have been a little unpredictable, but I was able to provide support to the Green Farming team, in particular in analysing the problems met by the farmers and the team, understanding the stakes of marketing vegetables and their production in organic farming as well as the difficulties brought about by the diseases and pests present in the vegetable gardens.

I worked together with Theary, a student from the Agroecology Bayon School and an intern with the Green Farming team. She was very inspiring, sharing her technical and theoretical knowledge directly with the farmers!

I also accompanied 3 students from the school on an internship at our partner Fair Farms in the South of Cambodia. I was able to work with them on the project of planting vegetation cover on a pepper farm. Another project was more oriented towards the protection of the environment and the reforestation of 5 degraded hectares in order to create a stable environment favorable to bees and including melliferous resources (which produce honey) all year round.

What did you learn from a professional and personal point of view?  

During these 6 months, I learned a lot about tropical agriculture and the issues related to the new seasonality: the dry season and the rainy season each last 6 months, and include various challenges. During the dry season, we must successfully irrigate the crops to avoid the development of diseases, and create new shelters to protect the crops from the sun. During the rainy season, part of the fields are flooded and diseases and pests develop very quickly, so it is important to develop new techniques to preserve the crops.

The Bayon School project works hard at finding solutions to the challenges faced by the farmers, giving them tools that can be passed on to help other Bayon beneficiary families.

I also learned about the creation and management of an agroecology school in a developing country where agriculture is often synonymous with poverty and social failure. I was able to see the inside workings of an association and the drive of its members to succeed in following the children and beneficiaries of the NGO as best as possible, even in the current health context. I met many actors and pioneers of agroecology in Cambodia, all of them very inspiring.

On a personal level, I learned to speak Khmer, thanks to my colleagues, and I was able to discover their culture within the families in a more intimate and personal context than at the Bayon School.

What have you noticed about the health crisis? What can you say about the impact it has on farmers and their families? 

“The February 20 Community Event” has turned the daily life of Khmers upside down. Cambodia had managed to curb and control the number of cases on its territory by sacrificing the tourism economy, closing its borders to tourist visas as early as March 2020. The Bayon families living around the temples have many jobs related to tourism and I have seen a great deal of solidarity within the families, with the return of brothers, sisters, and children who had left to work away from the temples. The farmers benefited from more labor to work with them in their gardens, but they also had more mouths to feed, representing a bigger workload. Their families became interested in the project and it was very motivating to work with them and explain the basics of agroecological principles!

What lessons can you take from this particular learning environment?

It is very important to have good communication within the teams in order to support each other and find solutions together. This is true for the Green Farming team, but also for the social team, as we work together distributing vegetables to the beneficiary families. It is in this type of crisis situation that we can observe the resilience of a project and a team, as well as improve certain points to better understand and find solutions to these difficulties.

What do you retain from this experience?

Whilst agriculture and agro-ecology act as a lever for the empowerment of a country, it is really the education of future generations that will boost the development of Cambodia. The majority of the members of the Bayon office have benefited from educational aid programs and, in turn, they are giving back to the underprivileged children of the Angkor temples. I really hope that Cambodia’s vaccination campaigns will allow the schools to reopen quickly so that the children can return to school.

I thank my colleagues Theary, Chorvin, Sreyleak, Sakoth and En for their welcome, the transmission of their knowledge and the smiles I received. I leave for France with my head full of memories of the farmers, of their laughter and of the pride they display in producing these vegetables and providing for their families. I will remember the courage and strength of these elderly women, who often work alone and who were able to regain their dignity and joy, thanks to the acquisition of this new knowledge in agriculture. The best moments of the week were always the visit of their gardens and the distribution of vegetables. It is such a pleasure to see them blossoming, exchanging tips and admiring each other’s vegetables!

I wish good luck to Marie, the new intern of the Green Farming team, who will be the lucky new interlocutor of the farmers!

If you had to summarize your experience here in 3 words?

 Gratitude, Challenge and Autonomy. And Morning Glory!

Pedalling for Equality : 5,000 km across Europe

Pedalling for Equality : 5,000 km across Europe

by | 27 Sep 2021 | Bakery and pastry school, Coffee Shop, Vocational training

Can you introduce yourself in a few words? 

Hello, my name is Diane Robert, I am 21 years old and I have just completed a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at McGill University in Montreal. 

Where did you get the idea to cross Europe by bike? What is your itinerary? 

Since I started my studies at McGill, I had planned to take a gap year after my Bachelor’s degree to discover new countries and new projects. I did not have a specific plan as I wanted to give myself the opportunity to push myself beyond my limits and adapt to different circumstances. With Covid, the idea of going further and further away was replaced by the desire to take the time to discover places closer to home. This, combined with the thirst for freedom and meeting new people, gave me the idea of discovering Mediterranean Europe by bike. 

Why did you decide to get involved in an associative project?

I did not want my project to be just a personal adventure; I wanted it also to have a positive influence on people close to me and to be useful to others. Being particularly invested in gender equality issues, I wanted to carry out a project with a concrete impact in this field, as well as supporting an NGO concerned with this issue. Through awareness, education and fundraising, I wanted to participate in the improvement of the economic and social situation of some women, whilst opening the debate on these issues to those around me. 

Why did you choose the Bayon School ? 

I firstly wanted the funds collected to go to an association whose name and effectiveness I knew. I particularly appreciated the work of the Bayon School and its focus on education, which I felt was the most effective way to have a short, medium and long-term impact on individuals and society as a whole. Within the School, one project particularly resonated with my values and commitments. Your Pastry and Bakery School allows young Cambodian women from underprivileged backgrounds living in the Angkor temple region to have access to quality education and to promote their professional integration at the end of the training. In addition, I had the chance to visit your center during a stay in Cambodia and I was touched by your commitment to stay close to the children, young people and families that you support on a daily basis.

How will the funds raised be used?

The goal is to raise 2,500 euros; this amount corresponds to the complete training of a young woman at the Bayon School of Pastry and Bakery. It includes the student’s food and lodging, all courses and related expenses, school supplies and uniforms, a bicycle to facilitate transportation as well as the monthly allowance.

Why does the issue of gender equality interest you so much? What do you think you can contribute? 

Firstly, it is one of the themes that affects the largest proportion of the population. It is also a theme that is often misunderstood or misinterpreted, leading to debates that are often poorly researched and therefore counterproductive. In my opinion, equality is the most basic justice. The courses I have taken on this topic have allowed me to form clear and critical thinking, with the conviction that change is possible, through action but also through reflection. While it is necessary to improve the situations of the most vulnerable people in this regard, I believe that it is equally crucial to raise a constructive debate at the societal level in order to change certain mentalities. I hope that, by sharing quality resources and taking the time to listen to various opinions, I can improve my knowledge on the subject, promote this questioning in the minds of new people and present or support concrete proposals in this direction. This is why I would like to ask one question of as many people as possible that I’ll meet along the way: “In your opinion, what should be worked on as a priority to reduce gender inequality?” 

Equality is the most basic justice.

So if I ask you “In your opinion, what should be worked on as a priority to reduce gender inequality?”, where would you start?

Education. I think that we must start by observing society to take into account gender differences in order to denormalize and de-banalize certain phenomena. For example, it is not normal for a woman to feel unsafe in public places just because she is a woman. Street harassment should not be seen as normal and inevitable when a woman goes out. Similarly, it is not normal that a woman does not have the same opportunities as a man to access quality education, stable employment and security. Sadly, these inequalities do exist. I believe that the first step is the actual recognition of these inequalities, the study of their sources and their consequences. Only then can we hope to find solutions to reduce them, or even to erase them. This is what I hope to do by communicating personally on the subject and by showing my commitment to projects like the Bayon School. 

What would you like to discover or learn during this trip? 

During this trip, I aim to take the time to cross different European countries, getting to know the local populations, eating and sleeping in their homes. By doing so, I hope to understand the many European cultures, which are both so diverse and varied, but yet so similar to ours. I would like to learn from them, from their reflections on their society and on these questions that I ask myself. I would also like to grow, to learn about myself, about my mistakes and my successes, to confront difficulties and to observe how I face them.

Can we follow you on your journey? 

Yes of course! I will share my adventures on my Instagram page (dianerobert8) and prepare some other small surprises for you. I cannot wait to “take” you with me, so that you too can discover a little more of Mediterranean Europe, the Bayon School and the solo cycling life! 

 

See you soon!