We wrapped up last week week with high spirits and karaoke on Saturday night.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week will see the walton team going door to door conducting interviews with the local farmers of Hoa An.
Today is the second day and judging from the bus chatter, everybody’s ready to get the ball rolling.
Monday, we learned that most of the farmers in the area receive their inputs from the local agriculture company, which often provides the materials on credit, interest free, with the condition that the farmers pay it back once the crops have been harvested.
We’ve found that the farmers often attempt to create some sort of negotiating power by meeting and agreeing on a community-wide price before the collectors come to buy their crops.
The farmers have voiced concerns about climate change contributing to a lack of rain in the region, and their inability to diversify their crops due to lack of knowledge about products aside from rice.
We’re all hopeful to learn more about their issues, and contribute what we can to a greater understanding of smallholder agriculture.
Monday, we also went to a local market where we looked at the agriculture supply chain a few steps up stream from the farmers who grow the crops. It was a great experience. And some of us guys got called cute by the market vendors, the vast majority of which are women supporting their family.
Peace,
Will Purdy
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Read more from Will at https://willinvietnam.wordpress.com/
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week will see the walton team going door to door conducting interviews with the local farmers of Hoa An.
Today is the second day and judging from the bus chatter, everybody’s ready to get the ball rolling.
Monday, we learned that most of the farmers in the area receive their inputs from the local agriculture company, which often provides the materials on credit, interest free, with the condition that the farmers pay it back once the crops have been harvested.
We’ve found that the farmers often attempt to create some sort of negotiating power by meeting and agreeing on a community-wide price before the collectors come to buy their crops.
The farmers have voiced concerns about climate change contributing to a lack of rain in the region, and their inability to diversify their crops due to lack of knowledge about products aside from rice.
We’re all hopeful to learn more about their issues, and contribute what we can to a greater understanding of smallholder agriculture.
Monday, we also went to a local market where we looked at the agriculture supply chain a few steps up stream from the farmers who grow the crops. It was a great experience. And some of us guys got called cute by the market vendors, the vast majority of which are women supporting their family.
Peace,
Will Purdy
--
Read more from Will at https://willinvietnam.wordpress.com/
To find out more about the U of A Community Development in Vietnam program, visit http://studyabroad.uark.edu/vietnam
