In Hue

We managed to do a few things today, with mixed success.  In the morning Mr Tu, our contact here in Hue, took us to a small community who are growing vegetables and flowers communally for the local market.  It was interesting to see how this group of people is working together in a very positive way.

In the afternoon we hired a car and guide to take us out toward the coast, about 15 km away.  Our intention was to go to the beach and also hopefully meet and talk to some farmers along the way. After a brief visit to the beach we drove back on the lookout for a couple of farmers to talk to. Our first stop proved to be unsuccessful. We then met Mr Khoai, from Thuan An Village. He has been growing rice since he was 13 years old, for 40 years now. Mr Khoai grows two rice crops, in the November to January period and in the March/April to May period. He has noticed temperatures getting higher and the weather in general becoming less reliable. The rainy season is tending to be more extreme, with more flooding problems and the dry season is often drier than in the past. His greatest challenge with the less predictable seasonal climate is the timing of his crops. He has to think more carefully about what varieties he grows and the timing of his production. Mr Khoai and other farmers in his village have observed these changes locally and are also aware of what is happening globally from watching television and reading the paper. He said the only solution for them locally is through seed selection and timing of production. His message to people was to keep the environment clean.