Giving Compass' Take:

• The Green Shoots Foundation Agri-Tech Centre teaches horticulture training, repackage farming, and agri-tech to rural youth in Cambodia through techniques that are exciting and give them practical vocational skills while instilling professionalism and dignity in rural occupations.

• What can donors do to support more organizations and centers that aim to teach rural youth in developing countries about innovations in sustainable farming and agriculture? 

• Learn about integrating education and agriculture in rural Nepal. 

I write this from the once-lush rice fields of Northwest Cambodia. The region has just completed its rice harvest for the year, so the vistas are slightly beige with thick smoke in the air. The smoke comes from two main sources: preparing charcoal through burning timber, and burning of the harvested rice paddy.

Despite the tropical heat, both practices send shivers down my spine—primarily at the thought of burning out topsoil and chopping down trees at such an alarming rate to make charcoal. However, such harmful practices are quite common across Cambodia, because it doesn’t require labor or financial input for clearing the fields. Plus, it is quick! Most farmers also believe these practices are improving soil fertility. But while adding biochar can be a great addition to the soil for fertility as well as regulating pH and water retention qualities, burning off topsoil is never recommended.

On closer observation, the structure used for making charcoal is a remarkable dome-shaped cob oven that all outdoor/permaculture enthusiasts will admire. A technique using a mixture of clay and rice-husk sculpts up a curved furnace. It is described as people friendly—if only what it was being used for was environmentally friendly.

Read the full article on agri-tech in Cambodia by Muneezay Jaffery at Food Tank.