KOH KONG: Over 200 impoverished families, most of whom previously subsisted on hunting and trapping, have moved on to a better life through training in agricultural techniques in Koh Kong province.

The Sovanna Baitong Community is located Koh Kong’s Kandol Village and was established by the Wildlife Alliance to provide locals with alternative livelihoods that would also strengthen, protect and conserve natural resources.

President of the Sovanna Baitong, Art Nouch, said that before coming to live in the community, many of the people were poor and had to earn a living by relying on forestry and slash and burn farming on land that did not belong to them. The Wildlife Alliance invited the families to cultivate one hectare of their own land in the community.

Art Nouch said that for the first cultivation, people planted according to the principles of the community-wide training. However in the 18 years since then, families are independent and can grow crops according to their own plans. They can decide for themselves which crops have good market value or are easy to sell, and the community will continue to provide ideas whenever needed.

He said, "Our community has trained them for a long time, with the help of agricultural technicians and project staff. Whatever they want to grow, we help by providing ideas on how to use fertilizer and how to plant.”

He noted that about 7 years ago, the community had to research the local agricultural market and transport their products, which did not make it very profitable. Now, however, people are better equipped to make direct sales to wholesale brokers and increase their income.

Yi Kim Lap, 35, used to be a logger who had to travel between forests. Back home, her community was suffering the effects of deforestation itself. Now she cultivates peppers, eggplants and beans on the land that the community provides to create a better life for her family and she earns more doing it.

In 2013, the community broadened the variety of fruit and vegetable crops to be planted, including durian, rambutan and longan. At present, there are more than 3,000 fruit trees in Sovanna Baitong’s community orchard, which covers 20 hectares. In addition to fruit trees, other crops are grown, including beans, watermelon and peppers.

The Sovanna Baitong community was established in 2003 and benefits 250 families through the REDD +, Cardamom Mountain and Sovanna Baitong projects. Since then, the community has built houses and infrastructure such as roads, health services and schools.