Project News

Pig (sow) raising is among the activities supported by SUSFORM-NOW for livelihood development in villages. Under the project, sows are initially provided to the first group of villagers, and then, after giving several deliveries, those sows are handed over to other villagers. Therefore, the first group of villagers who receive sows has the responsibility for feeding them well and keeping them healthy for later handover to other villagers.

For successful handover of healthy sows after several deliveries of piglets, it is important to keep their piggeries in good conditions, keeping them clean and warm in winter, and to give appropriate feed every day. In general, pig feed consists of a mixture of maize, rice bran, and mixed feed with maize as a major component. However, Muong Phang Commune, to which many sows were already delivered, does not produce much maize. Therefore, there is a concern for the villagers to cultivate maize by destroying forest.^[1]

SUSFORM-NOW has been recommending villagers not to produce maize by burning extra lands with, but to purchase the same by cash obtained from selling cassava, canna^[2] , vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms, which were also partly supported by SUSFORM-NOW.

Above mentioned technical advice is provided to the villagers through collaboration between agricultural extensionists and forest rangers. The main role for these forest rangers is to explain the effect of forest conservation and public functions of forests. So far, seven village meetings have been completed. It is expected that the collaboration between forest rangers and agricultural extensionists will be a trigger for better integration between forest management and livelihood development activities.

A poster indicating the composition of feed for pig raising -- feed composition should be changed during the lactation period.

A picture-story used for the explanation to villagers: bad example (upper), good example (lower).

Explanation by an agricultural extensionist on sow raising.

Explanation by a forest ranger on public function of forests and importance of forest conservation.