The future now

Sou Sothoun can’t keep up with her success.

“My buyers are always asking for more,” she said, “and I wish I could supply it.”

Sou’s been a farmer in the Takéo province of Cambodia for over 16 years, but just recently got married. With her husband, she was able to expand her farm to a new, larger plot of land. Her cucumbers are hot items in the marketplace because they taste and look better.

Sou is an example of a farmer served by iDE’s social enterprise, Lors Thmey. Sou told us that she buys her seeds and fertilizer from the Lors Thmey Farm Business Advisor (FBA). Even though they are more expensive than imported ones from Vietnam, it’s worth it because she gets better crops that bring higher prices. And she uses less fertilizer. She also purchased mulch and a drip irrigation kit from her FBA.

As a newlywed, Sou is pleased that her farming is so successful that she is able to grow all the vegetables needed to feed herself and her husband, and she takes double that amount to market, contributing income to her household.

“The difference now,” Sou said, “is that I can see andfeel the future.”