July Wrap Up

The past week has been a busy one here at SFS. On the 25th, we had a meeting with Eric Tung from Root Capital - a nonprofit social investment fund interested in providing pre-financing for our farmer's cooperative, Rice Fund Surin. Come harvest time every season, Rice Fund searches for adequate funds to pre-finance the purchase of our member's organic rice. If we are able to work things out, Root Capital can provide a significant portion of our working capital at a low interest rate, with guarantees through Rice Fund's purchase contracts. This kind of support is a secure and innovative way to grow the cooperatives business and access more markets abroad.

On Saturday, the 26th, a group of farmers from the Korean Peasant League (KPL) visited the Green Market and then came to Donlengthai village. Their visit was made possible by the networking efforts of La Via Campesina and Thailand's Alternative Agriculture Network (AAN). Farmers Pakphum Impaen and Paw Hoon exchanged with them in Donlengthai about their alternative agricultural techniques, including organic fertilizer methods, and planting green beans along with rice in the paddies. SFS members explained how they plant rice and work with other members of their group on different projects. The Korean farmers stopped planting by hand almost 30 years ago, but are still very interested in organic farming methods and were surprised by the way things were done in the village.

The Pangaea Project also returned to Tabthai village on the 26th, to spend two final days with the villagers. On the 27th, they sat in on an exchange between KPL farmers and Tabthai villagers, as well as gave a final presentation on their experiences with agriculture in Thailand. The students discussed the impacts of chemical farming on a societal level, in the ways that increasing debt or the inability to support oneself on the family farm can lead to working in Bangkok in construction or sweatshops, as well as living in urban slums, or potentially, near landfills.

The presentation was a useful reminder for villagers about the importance of their efforts in organic farming, as well as the implications of the use of chemicals beyond farmer's health or local environmental conservation. Several members of the Tabthai village farmer's group have had to work in Bangkok in the past, due to the increasing cost of chemical inputs and the consistently low farmgate price of rice. Their efforts with SFS and as a Fair Trade certified cooperative have helped end this cycle of debt and labor migration.

Sunday, the 27th, was the Pangaea student's final day in Tabthai village, and it ended with a beautiful celebration between community members and students. Everyone was sad to see the students leave (and some students really wanted to stay longer). It was definitely a great experience for the group!!

The students begin the bai si ceremony, in which strings are tied around their wrists to protect them from any harm as they travel away from the village.

Eric Scott, a director of the Pangaea Project, with Kanya Onsri and her family. P'
Kanya is the leader of the Tabthai village farmers' group and hosted Eric during the group's stay in the village.

Please see the rest of the photos from their experience in the Pangaea album. Students will also be posting blogs about their experiences when they return to the U.S.

Lastly, on Tuesday the 29th, Tristan Lecomte of Alter Eco France, arrived to stay with Donlengthai villagers and meet with the Rice Fund staff about the coming year. We'll be meeting with him tomorrow at the rice mill!