During 10 – 11 November 2010, Mr Kanit Muangnil, Senior Managing Director of Saraburi Kyusei Nature Farming Training Centre and APNAN were called to fly to the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia, in order to discuss with Japanese NGO named SAJ (School Aid Japan) which has Organic Farm in Kampongchanang province in Cambodia. The Organic Farm has just started its operation with 12.6 ha. It should be designed as the integrated farming model, which demonstrates how sustainable agriculture can be done with the concept of Nature Farming and EM Technology.
The main objective of the organic farm managed by SAJ is to grow organic product in order to supply enough amount of food and create new employment opportunity for the local community.
In Midnapore district, West Bengal, EM was just introduced to fish cultivation.A farmer was facing a problem of diseases of fish because of water pollution. He tried to apply EM to the pond, and found the less algae and no more diseases.Now he is applying 40L of Activated EM to the pond(about 7500 cubic meter) once a week. Near side: EM treated pond with less algae Far side: Untreated pond
Help and Care is a NGO which is promoting EM Technology to farmer group to improve the productivity of agriculture in about 20 districts in Nepal. In Sindhu Palchok district, which is 3 hours away from Kathmandu, a group of 17 farmers are using EM for rice, vegetable, fruit cultivation and live stocks. EM is mixed in drinking water for goat and cow(dilution, 1:100), and then animal dung is treated with EM spraying(dilution, 1:20). This EM treated compost is applied to field and EM dilution is applied before planting(dilution, 1:20 ) and for regular foliar spray(dilution, 1:20). The effect of EM in this region -Less disease of cow and goat -Less odor in the stall -Better growth of crops
APNAN held its usual international workshop from 21st to 24th June, at the Sara Buri Nature Farming Training Center. This was attended by 31 pariticipants, from 5 nations- namely Myanmar Bhutan Singapore New Zealand and Malaysia.
The workshop had the usual program - After opening ceremony. APNAN staff explained the concepts of Nature Farming and EM Technology. Thereafter, a practical session on EM liquids was demonstrated and practiced. That night, the participants presented their EM activities, which went on even on the second night on the farm. The participants were enthusiastic and were keen to gather as much information as possible.
This was a very good sign - and lots of useful information was exchanged.
The participants also had lots of practice in making EM liquides such as EMAS, EM5 EMFPE EMRW and EM bokashi. Thereafter the participants and the trainers from APNAN prepared plots for cultivation, in the real Nature Farming was and also sprayed EM FPE to diseased plants.
We at APNAN thank all the participants for this lively workshop - and if you do visit Thailand, please do come to Sara Buri again - we will be happy to meet you. We have also uploaded some photographs of the workshop.
We now know you and you know us - Please co contact us at anytime. we will try to help.
This report is based on a visit by Koki Nagamine to Sri Lanka in May 2010.
The EM program in Sri Lanka is handled by SEEDS. The program is now managed by Mr. Tharanga, who replaced Ms Darshani. Mr. Tharanga has field experience in working with farmers, as he had been employed by CARITAS, a Christian NGO prior to joining SEEDS. Thus he is very keen to expand EM within the farming communities in Sri Lanka.
A meeting was also held with Mr. Ananda Tennakoon, who attended the last International Workshop, at the EM unit. He and his colleague were keen on promoting EM in a diverse range of activities. This interest clearly highlighted the impact of our workshops in expanding activities in the respective countries.
Several meetings and field visits were made to the SKK Lanka offices. SKK Lanka now has 25 branches in all parts of Sri Lanka and is actively promoting Nature Farming through home garden projects. Lectures were given to SKK members and the home garden s visited. The small homegarden at the SKK headquarters was initiated this year – and is considered a model on Nature Farming, for SKK members. They have also established a sales outlet to sell the produce from Nature Farms. The second farm is at Katana, and is a larger unit, managed with Nature Farming principles for about 10 years. EM is used to produce crops and they state the improvement of soils, thus promoting yields crops.
A Nature Farming workshop was held at the SKK headquarters, where 21 participants were present. They were taught the basic principles of Nature Farming, the development of home gardens through Nature farming, Pest and Disease management, and some basic guidelines of EM, such as extending EM, making rice rinse water, soap and mudballs.
A visit to a homegarden of a SKK member highlighted that Nature Farming really works. The garden had many kinds of vegetables, which could supply the needs of the family. The problem cited was insect pests.
All these projects highlighted the development of Nature Farming, slowly but surely in Sri Lanka.
Left New EM project manager Mr Taranga (right side)
RightThe nature farming small shop
Left The KNF rice field in Katana farm
RightThe eggplants are growing in the house garden
We accepted 42 participants from 10 countries in this time. The countries are Bhutan, Myanmar, India, New Zealand Malaysia Hong Kong (China) Angola, Sri Lanka, Laos and Thailand.
There are a few people who attended our workshop second time. They took their friends to attend our workshop. Recently, Many people coming our workshop were have relation with our ex participants.
We are very happy to hear their EM activity through the present participants.
The program started from 22nd.
Because Mr. Kanit and Mr. Sakurai were absent during some hours, we could not be held on our opening ceremony like every time we do. Other than this ceremony, the program proceeded without any problem.
Mr. Sano explained Nature Farming and Mr Nishibuchi explained basis information of EM, EM liquid materials and EM solid type materials.
Participants explained their EM activity from the evening. The information participants explaining were good enough to share the information.
On second day, we went to practice EM field after Mr. Sano talked about vegetable fruits and rice lectures. We transplanted watermelon and harvested it. We also ate the watermelon at the field. Mr. Sano also took the participant another EM filed to let participant practice EM land preparation. We went to make EM bokashi at the EM bokashi plant at the Sara Buri center.
Mr. Kanit explained EM forest conservation
The participants explained their EM activity in that night also.
On 24th, Mr. Nishibuchi explained EM using for animal husbandly and Mr Koki Nagamine explained EM environment management.
After each class, we went to practice animal husbandry treatment, make EM feed materials composed by morning glory and go to EM kichen garbage site to inspect how to treat kitchen garbage by EM. We also manufactured EM activated solution for 1 MT tank.
For water treatment we applied EM Dango to the pond with EM Mud balls.
On 25th we imprecated rose garden where is located near Bangkok. Many participant had a good time at the place.
We let participant fill in our question survey. Actually, it has been collected for 2 years.
The result of reputation has been increasing year by year. We keep making effort to improve our workshop contents to satisfy our EM participants.
Siam Reap in Cambodia is fast becoming a real EM City! They have many activities at present, but what is most interesting is the EM restaurant!
APNAN had a real stroke of luck to visit this restaurant recently. The owners activate EM, use it in their cleaning processes in the kitchen , all floors and toilets. Most importantly, they provide activated EM Free to their neighbors, thus doing the community a favor! The restaurant named is ‘Teuk Dey Angkor Restaurant’ is very special in that they also give EM water to patrons. Thus EM water is becoming very popular in Siam Reap as it gives benefits to consumers – by enhancing their health. Thus all who visit Siam Reap - Please visit this very special restaurant to have very special Cambodian food at a very modest price!! The details are as follows:
Teuk Dey Angkor Restaurant Steung Thmey Village, Svay Dongkum Commune, Siem Reap District (Road to Rea Threy Market) Tel : 012 980 531
APNAN, the Asia Pacific Natural Agriculture Network, is a little organization based in Bangkok, Thailand, and networking on the concepts of Kyusei Nature Farming and EM Technology, with contacts in all continents of the globe. It is a very successful and dynamic network, with the drive, energy and ambition to achieve its goals.
