In March 2017, COERR has organized several trainings to refugees and staff in all three refugee camps, namely Mae la, Umpiem and Nupo. Basic training was provided to new farmers to learn about theory and practice of Organic Farming. There were also refreshing training courses being organized to have former trained farmers to review their farming skills.

   Also in March, camp based refugee staff was equipped with farming meeting and workshop to make them more prepared to transfer all knowledge and knowhow to best benefit their neighbors and communities.

Staff meeting and planning for 26 Camp-based Refugee Staff on March 6, 2017

Planting and Animal Raising Meeting in Nupo camp on March 7 and 28, 2017

At Umpiem camp, the Basic Organic Farming Training was offered during March 7-9, 2017. There were 41 refugees, including 27 female and 14 male attending. The subjects taught were benefit of vegetables, how to start organic gardening and farming and pest control. The trainees also learned how to prepare and mix soil with nutrient substance. In addition, they learned about vegetable pot making using recycled materials.

In Mae La camp, a Basic Organic Agriculture for New Farmers was offered for 40 refugees, 17 female and 23 male during March 13-14. In addition to the knowledge about organic agriculture’s effect to ecosystem, the trainees learned how to prepare fertile soil for cultivation and learned about pest control, making liquid fertilizer to nourish plants and land management for integrated farming.

Training held in Nupo camp on March 14-16, for 20 new farmers: 9 female and 11 male, about healthy vegetables, organic farming, pest control in organic farming, etc.

In March, there were also Refreshing Training Course for farmers who had formerly attended COERR’s Basic Organic Training and would like to learn more as well as to share their experience and lessons learned in their farm to others.

The contents of the training were analysis of soil nutrients, how to prepare fertile soil for cultivation, how to make liquid fertilizers and how to grow mushroom in basket. The knowledge and skills and experience sharing from each farmer would be valuable to help them in improving their farm production.The training was held in Ban Mae La camp, on March 15-17, for 103 refugee farmers: 47 female and 56 male. The challenge of the training was that farmers had to be able to transfer their knowledge and skills to their family and others.

The refreshing training course was organized for farmers in COERR’s program in Ban Umpiem camp on March 15-16, for 63 farmers: 44 female and 19 male. Subjects taught by COERR’s program staff and camp-based refugee staff were about integrated farming and cultivation in small plot. The challenge was that every trainee should be able to make use of the training in his own farm.

In Ban Nupo, a refreshing training course was organized on March 21, in which 30 farmers: 19 female and 11 male had attended to learn about organic agriculture, planning and soil preparing, sufficiency economy principle, etc. Registrations were made so the trainees were able to receive seeds and tools for their next cultivation. The purpose of the training was to enable them to adopt necessary skills to increase their farming production and transfer knowledge to help others.

To provide skills in Organic Agriculture for camp-based refugee staff, this year COERR Mae Sot also provided training in Mae La camp during March 9-10 for 18 staff.

Capacity building training course and study tour were organized for 20 camp-based refugee staff: 9 male and 11 female on 29 March 20170. The training focused on land management, i.e. division of land into 4 parts for housing, planting, animal raising and water reservoir, as well as the topic of household accounting and farm accounting.