Good agricultural practices help raise farmers' incomes | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

Farming that is environmentally sustainable does not only help farmers increase their income, but it also results in healthier crops for their consumers and families. With the Integrated Pest Management Programme (IPM), FAO introduced the farmer field school approach in Laos in 1996 as a means to support the development of pest management in rice and vegetables. This approach uses experimental learning to help farmers make decisions and find answers themselves.

Currently, the FAO continues to support the IPM programme and has created a long term programme that is aimed at strengthening management of agricultural chemicals in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Since this programme was introduced, about 24,000 farmers in 801 communities of nine provinces have participated in training and formulating community action plans for pesticide risk reduction.

In Laos the farmers that are trained by FAO are equipped with farming skills that they can replicate throughout their farming career. These skills give them a means to support their families and provide an education for their children.

To read more about the farmers and their personal stories, please click here.