Fa r m er Fi el d Sch o o l s 317
Khanh was shy and had never spoken in front of a group before. But after
the first season at the farmer field school, she felt more confident and she tried
leading some experiments. When Khanh tried new things in her field, she had
the other farmers visit. She explained what she was doing and why. The other
farmers listened, asked questions, and shared their opinions and experiences.
As Hoa and Khanh began changing the way they farmed, they realized they
had to teach their husbands as well. “I had to make sure my husband would
not be afraid because I stopped using chemical pesticides,” Hoa said. “When
he came home from work, I took him to the field to show him the different
insects and talk to him about natural pest controls.” When Hoa’s husband saw
there was more rice, he did not question his wife’s wisdom. And when she used
money saved from fertilizers and pesticides
to buy a motorcycle for the family, he
was convinced that farmer field
schools helped.
Now Hoa and Khanh
have started training women
farmers all over their region.
“I think we women work
better as a group apart from
the men. Our discussions
are more open and we
make sure everybody gets
to say what she sees in the
field and what she thinks
about it. Knowing about pests,
fertilizers, and how to care for our
crops helps us take control of our
lives. This makes me sleep easier,” said
Khanh. “If it helps me, I’m sure it can
help everyone.”
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012