Food Security
Empowering farmers to produce-- and preserve-- more.
Request a training or visit
GEC can deliver tailored training,
capacity building and demonstrations to
nonprofits, government, businesses and
schools. We also welcome members of
the public to arrange a visit and tour of
GEC.
Find out more
Explore GEC by reading our year-end
report for more information on our
programs.
Buy our products
GEC sells a variety of food products
including Mak Mao (forest blackcurrant)
wine, passion fruit juice, pineapple jelly,
banana chips, and various types of jam.
These are available for purchase, along
with handmade goods crafted by shelter
residents, at our Dream Weaver shop in
Pakse.
Green Earth Centre
Set on 40 hectares of land in the Lao Ngam district in southern Laos, VFI’s Green
Earth Centre (GEC) was established in 2009 as a sustainable agricultural training
facility and demonstration center. GEC provides trainings to community
members in eight surrounding villages totaling more than 1,200 people, as well
as to nonprofits, governments, businesses, and schools. GEC also provides
vocational training to trafficking survivors, and their families, who are interested
in developing agricultural production skills. GEC trainings focus not only on
agricultural practices, but also on connecting farmers to local markets and on
processing, distributing, and marketing agroforestry products, which increases
farmers’ financial security.
Our experts instruct villagers in the following areas:
•
Small livestock raising
•
Organic farming techniques
•
Mushroom farming
•
Integrated pest management
•
Processing and marketing agroforestry products
Showcasing Sustainability
GEC strives to exemplify sustainable
farming practices in action. We follow
no-waste farming practices, use zero
chemicals, and collect rainwater for
crop irrigation to minimize our
environmental impact.
Photography by Samantha Nieman and VFI staff
© Village Focus International 2018
Increasing the quantity and quality of agricultural products is key to improving the nutrition and livelihoods of villagers across
Laos. However, it is equally important to do so in a way that preserves natural resources for use by future generations. VFI’s
Green Earth training centre gives Lao farmers the resources and knowledge to farm sustainably and thus increase their
livelihood opportunities and incomes.