Grower Story
Kurt Foitongsamrong
Farmer Kurt Foitongsamrong, begins his day in the kitchen, cooking for his children, before packing his lunch box and heading off to work the land. As a native of Amphur Huaytalang, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, Kurt made the decision five years earlier to certify his farm and begin growing organic tapioca.
Tapioca, the starchy root of the cassava plant, is a staple food in tropical regions around the world, including Thailand. The hot and humid climate in Kurt’s region is ideal for tapioca cultivation. The region experiences a hot and dry season from March through mid-May and a rainy season from mid-May through October, which can be quite heavy and result in flooding.
Organic tapioca roots are typically planted in March and harvested up to a year later. At harvest time, Kurt cuts the plant at its base, saving the trunks growing above the ground to replant for next year’s crop. Once the trunks are removed, he uses a tractor to dig the roots from the ground and remove them for transport and processing. The 300-rai field where he works, approximately 48 hectares in size, yields about 3,000 metric tons of tapioca roots per harvest, which is processed into tapioca starch and powders.
After harvest, Kurt and his fellow workers shovel the plowed dirt to level the fields and prepare for replanting. The saved cassava trunks are then re-planted to begin the next crop, a process that takes about two weeks.
Since his return to organic agriculture, Kurt has noticed a significant improvement in his own wellbeing and the health of the land around him. “There is no insecticide contamination, which is a benefit to me and everyone who works here,” he said. “I used to have unusual big belly symptoms when I was doing conventional agriculture but now it is gone. More importantly, other creatures like birds, mice, chickens, and iguanas are back in the area, which shows the abundance of nature.”
On a typical day, Kurt returns home from work to tend his ducks, chickens, and vegetable garden before preparing dinner for his family. Then he and his family relax and watch television until bedtime, around 9 p.m.
Kurt hopes that his children can follow his path into organic agriculture, so that they can live good lives in a sustainable way. “I really want to invite everyone to do agriculture in an organic way,” he said. “We are simply living healthy lives.”