I'm behind on my blog because...well, I've been busy learning a lot and having fun! I'm keeping a journal of my activities, so what follows is a run down of my week in Quang Tri where Roots of Peace has a black pepper project.
December 1, 2011
Visited 3 districts, Huong Hoa, Cam Lo, and Vinh Linh. We stopped at the Khe Sanh Combat Base museum and got a bit of history along the way.
Visit to the museum at Khe Sanh Combat Base. According to Lonely Planet "The site of the most famous siege--and one of the most controversial battels of--of the American war...Despite the fierce fighting and loss of life, Khe Sanh was probably never the North's real target, but merely a diversionary gamble in preparation for the Tet Offensive."
"About 500 Americans, 10,000 North Vietnamese troops and uncounted civilian bystanders died amid the din of machine guns and the fiery explosions of 1000kg bombs, white phosphorus shells, napalm, mortars and artillery rounds of all sorts."
Lonely Planet: "Khe Sanh Combat Base was never overrun, but it was completely stripped and dismantled before the Americans left...Today the site is occupied by a small museum, a few captured or downed American aircraft and a red dirt swathe where the airstrip used to be."
ROP’s black pepper project is in Vinh Linh, but they’d like to expand it to Cam Lo. Saw coffee and black pepper in Huong Hoa. Met with government officials from DARD (Department of Agricultural and Rural Development) and officials of the People’s Committee in each district. We were brought into the official meet-and-greet rooms of the District Headquarters, served tea and water, and introduced to the officials. Tucker and the officials then exchanged pleasantries and promises for support. Officials in Vinh Linh said they would set up a low-interest loan program similar to one in Cam Lo.
Arabica coffee in central Vietnam! Only about 3% of Vietnamese coffee is arabica--the rest is robusta, which grows at a lower altitude, is easy to maintain, and contains more caffeine.
Coffee and black pepper intercropping (the black pepper vines grow on the tall trees)
A warm greeting from government officials in Cam Lo
beach break
a break in the clouds
December 2, 2011
Attended ROP TOT (“Training of the Trainer”) in Vinh Linh in the morning. There were about 20 people there (2 of whom were women). These are club leaders, model farmers, and demo farmers who will train other farmers in black pepper best practices. This was the second training of this sort. Dr. Truong (the black pepper expert from Hue) divided the attendees into groups and had them draw plants and the problems. He then had different people present to the group. We then went to a farmer’s house and looked at samples he was keeping of leaves and the group talked more about techniques and issues.
black pepper vines and peppercorns
Club leaders attend this workshop with a black pepper expert, Dr. Truong, to learn about pests and proper growing techniques. They will then be able to help the farmers in their clubs.
club leaders present about different diseases that affect black pepper vines
Tucker and Lien (Roots of Peace staff Quang Tri) talk with a club leader.
Tucker and Binh, Roots of Peace staff Quang Tri, answering questions from club leaders and thanking them for all their work.
Afterwards we were invited to pay our respects at a club leader’s home. His mother, 88, had just passed away. We entered the home, saw the shrine, were given an incense stick, bowed three times, and placed the incense stick on the altar. We then had tea with the couple. The woman wore a white band around her head—a sign of mourning. Both the club leader and his wife were obviously grieving—they smiled when we talked with them, but you could see deep sadness in their eyes.
We then traveled back to Dong Ha and Binh invited us to his brother’s home for lunch. The whole family was there—it was his older brother’s death anniversary. Everybody gets together, the women cook a lot of delicious food, and the men sip beer and reminisce. I felt honored to be invited to this family gathering.
Binh (3rd from left) and his family
Then we headed down to Hue (asking our driver to book it—he did a 2+ hour trip in less than an hour and a half) to catch our flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
All in all, it was a great week in Quang Tri and I know more about black pepper than ever before. Having seen the work Roots of Peace is doing first hand, I can better appreciate the organization's work to help farmers earn higher incomes through black pepper. It doesn't take up a lot of space, can easily be intercropped with other produce, and fetches a good price on the market. By providing training to club leaders and farmers, ROP is helping to provide knowledge and inputs that help to create a quality product. It makes sense!
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