East West Seeds : Increasing Yields and Incomes through Improved seeds

East-West Seed (EWS) introduced high-quality seeds and agronomical support services with the aim of improving farmers’ lives through increased agricultural productivity and raised incomes. Now, having conducted crop demonstrations to create and increase awareness of the importance of improved seeds and agricultural techniques, EWS is implementing an inclusive agricultural project in four provinces in Cambodia.

To guarantee high-quality seeds, EWS, through its subsidiary East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer (EWS-KT), provides embedded agricultural technical skills, crop demonstration and training. Since implementing the project, around 200 demonstration farms have showcased cucumber, yard long bean, bitter gourd and watermelon raising for over 3,500 farmers, including 1400 female farmers.

By improving farmers’ knowledge and supplying them with improved seed varieties, higher yields of up to 20% for dry season cucumbers have been achieved in comparison to regular seeds and traditional technical agricultural practices.

Climate Smart Agriculture practices have been included in the EWS technical guides and practical technical training. This includes using mulching film to protect soil from erosion and retain moisture, applying compost to improve soil fertility, introducing drip irrigation for efficient water-saving and the introduction of crop rotation to maintain soil fertility and reduce pests and diseases. EWS, sales revenues have been increasing in the four focus provinces due to the high demand for EWS seeds. Due to these successes, EWS will be conducting more crop demonstrations and farmer field days. This will allow farmers, especially those who have not used EWS seeds before, to see the results for themselves.