October 21, 2016
East-West Seed has long recognized that quality seeds and farming knowledge go hand in hand to make farmers successful. The company founded its first extension activities in the Philippines in 2000. Since then, teams have been established in Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, India and Tanzania to share knowledge on improved vegetable production practices with smallholder farmers.
As extension activities continued to increase, a group Foundation was set up in 2015 to combine the forces of individual teams. The one-year old East-West Seed Foundation synergizes the company’s 16 years worth of experience in farmer training efforts in seven countries, connecting teams and facilitating knowledge sharing.
On-field training in Banteay Meanchey, Cambodia
New energy and commitment
Leadership at the East-West Seed Foundation promises to bring energy, commitment and stronger linkage between the company’s core business activities and knowledge transfer.
East-West Seed Supervisory Board member Rutger Groot (pictured above) was recently appointed Chairman of the Foundation, heading a board composed of former Dutch Ambassador to Thailand HE Joan Boer, former EWS CEO Joost Pekelharing, and current EWS CEO Bert van der Feltz. Stuart Morris as Executive Director oversees and connects all extension teams in various countries.
How the Foundation works
The Foundation seeks to increase the income of smallholder vegetable farmers by sharing the knowledge and skills needed to improve their productivity. Local extension teams organize practical training sessions and support field demonstrations showcasing profitable and sustainable production practices.
In 2015 the Foundation had a direct outreach to 28,000 farmers and aims to double this number before the end of 2017. The impact on local communities is much wider; trained farmers serve as a valuable source of advice and inspiration to their community.
Knowledge transfer activities are pre-competitive and non commercial, focusing on:
- Sustainable and profitable solutions which enable smallholder farmers to grow their business
- Demand for higher quality inputs; leading to the development of competitive markets in better quality seed and related agro-inputs
- Long-term economic development in rural communities
- Better access to high-quality and safe-to-eat vegetables for consumers
To leverage complementary skills and resources, the Foundation cooperates with like-minded partners from development agencies and government institutions.
Why vegetable farming?
More than any other sub sector in agriculture, vegetables bring many economic and social benefits:
-Vegetables generate more value per hectare than field crops and contribute to a regular income
-Vegetables create more jobs per hectare than staple crops
-Vegetables are indispensable to overcome micronutrient deficiencies
Although most farmers still focus on staple crops, more and more farmers dedicate a part of their land to growing vegetables, contribute to a better household incomes and healthier diet.
Success stories abound
Htun's first harvest of cucumber, grown on a 500-sqm plot, earned him a tidy profit of USD 500 (Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar)
Kyi Htun (39) and his family live a few miles from Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw. Growing eight acres of rice and beans, he estimates that, until recently, the family income was no more than USD 1,200 per year. Htun had the opportunity to visit an EWS demonstration farm in a nearby village. Inspired by the idea of a more regular income he attended several training sessions on vegetable production. Although he had no previous experience in vegetables, he was eager to follow the advice of East-West Seed knowledge transfer staff. With regular on-field support Htun soon became a key farmer. He now produces a wide range of vegetable crops including bitter gourd, kangkong, eggplant, tomato and yard long bean on about one acre of land. Seven acres remain under rice and bean cultivation.
Growing vegetables has increased Htun’s family income significantly. Not only does he now have a more regular income, he has also reduced his family’s dependency on increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. With his recently purchased motorcycle and mobile phone, Htun is optimistic about the future of his vegetable business.
For more information
East-West Seed Foundation
Dimple Sokartara
dimple.sokartara@eastwestseed.com
Europe & Africa:
Maaike Groot
maaike.groot@eastwestseed.com
Asia:
Francine Sayoc
francine.sayoc@eastwestseed.com
www.eastwestseed.com
Topics
Species
