HEPA (Human Ecology Practical Area) Farmer Field School (FFS) is a pioneering training dedicated to strengthen indigenous youth. HEPA FFS lies at the heart of the 6 inter-thematic networks action of Mekong Community Network Action for Ecological Trading (MECO-ECOTRA).
Overuse of resources and the lack of a caring attitude towards Human-Nature relationships in many sensitive watershed ecosystems have been the major causes leading to land desertification problems, gradual erosion of social traditions, and the losses of ecological biodiversity.
Sunday morning 29th December 2013, Long Lan villagers began to reopen the old road around the village.
With the high consensus of all people in the village, at 8 am one person from each family with their tools such as knifes, shovels, hammers gathered in the Community House to take on the tasks that were assigned by the elders. At 8:30am the activities were started. In only one day with the participations of 60 people, the one-kilometer road was completed.
Methods: all people were divided into four groups:
Group 1: Elders and leaders were pioneers whose tasks were to identified routes; clean up and cut down the trees on the route.
Group 2: A group of women who followed group 1. Their tasks were to weed and collect grass, leaves and branches on the road.
Group 3: Group of strong men with the tools: hoes, hammers, axes and knives. Their tasks were to dig out the stumps and the mounds of soil.
Group 4: Group of healthy youth with a hand-made harrow created the flat surface for the road.
In addition, there were two "secondary groups". Although they were not assigned the task, they still participated actively, contributed to form the road more completely and ensure its stability. (See in the pictures)
Please share some pictures of reopening the road of Long Lan community
Source: Tran Dinh Phuong
Group 1: Elders and leaders were pioneers whose tasks were to identified routes; clean up and cut down the trees on the route.
Group 2: A group of women who followed group 1. Their tasks were to weed and collect grass, leaves and branches on the road.
Group 3: Group of strong men with the tools: hoes, hammers, axes and knives. Their tasks were to dig out the stumps and the mounds of soil.
Group 3: Group of strong men with the tools: hoes, hammers, axes and knives. Their tasks were to dig out the stumps and the mounds of soil.
Group 4: Group of healthy youth with a hand-made harrow created the flat surface for the road.
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