From 12-15 August 2008, I had been working for the project, namely "Improvement of Livelihood of the most Vulnerable Families for Prevention of Human Trafficking and Unsafe Migration" in Svay Rieng and Prey Veng provinces. I went to Svay Rieng on the first day of my visit and I have discussed with Mr. San Sorn about the project, I explained to him the rational background of the project, objectives, main outputs, methodologies and activities will be done by the project. Importantly, I wanted Mr. San Sorn who is the one to act the role of farmer community facilitator of this project can understands well about the general concept of this project and he can move forward to field implementation. Furthermore, I have met him for reflection on the activities and results that the project has achieved so far if compare to the project's plan at the beginning of this month. It is to note that 120 out of 140 families have been conducted the one-to-one conversation both in Svay Rieng and Prey Veng provinces. Based on the collected information from the one-to-one conversation with the families in Prey Tung commune, Sithor Kandal district, Prey Veng province, we could know that:
There are around 100-150 families in the villages produce sugar palm with the average quantity of 1000 kg per year, the maximum is 1500 kg/year and the minimum is 500 kg/year. The market price now is 2000 riel/kg. Remarkably, there are totally 5 villages of Prey Tung commune.
Most of the villagers in the target villages lack of rice for family consumption, in case of the poorest families, they lack of rice at least a half of the whole year. Most of the poorest are hired to make silk so that they can get some complementary income for the family's need.
The size of homestead area is small and the house settlement of the villagers is located in a close place among house to house, so farmers feel that they lack of land for vegetable cultivation as well as there were many big trees planted in the homestead that is unable them to grow vegetable because of competing of nutrient absorbing from the roots of big trees,
Additionally, I have discussed with Mr. San San to review the project's work plan to organize the introduction workshop, village general meeting at the village level, etc. Hope that there will be more activities accomplished at the end of this month.
