Jidapha

Jidapha is a 69-year-old retired civil servant living in a small community in Surin province, Thailand. She is a widow and currently resides with her three adult children. To make a living, Jidapha runs an integrated farm, while two of her children work as civil servants and one runs a business.

Jidapha started farming in 2003 and has been self-taught ever since. Her love for nature and farming life inspired her to learn all skills on her own, from growing crops to raising fish. Over the years, she has built a small integrated farm on her land, where she grows a variety of seasonal crops and fruit trees and raises freshwater fish. The rotational crops and fruit trees have allowed her to earn income throughout the year, while the fish farming provides an additional source of livelihood. Jidapha sells her farm products, both agricultural produce and fish, locally.

With her farm currently running well and consistent demand from customers, Jidapha aims to expand the fish farming section. To achieve this goal, she has applied for a loan to purchase 15,000 Bagrid Catfish fingerlings, 5,000 Nile Tilapia fingerlings, 5,000 Red Tilapia fingerlings, fish feed, floating cages, and square fishing net bags to improve her setup. This investment will allow her to raise a greater variety of fish, increase production, and ensure a more consistent income throughout the year.

Jidapha hopes that with the expansion of her fish farm, she can continue to live independently and support her family, while also passing on her knowledge of farming to her children in the future.