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Monday, August 18, 2025
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From Debt to Pride: How Integrated Farming Changed One Man’s Life

This Week

In Luang Prabang’s Chomphet district, Ai Oun Farm stands as proof that determination can change the course of a life. 

Anouthikone “Top” Sepaseuth, the founder of Ai Oun Farm, once faced doubt from his family and community, but today he is debt-free and runs a farm generating hundreds of millions of kip in revenue each year.

Leaving Security Behind, Turning to Farmer

Top’s path to farming was not straightforward. For years, he worked as a civil servant, following in the footsteps of generations of his family. But the work left him restless.

“I quit because I realized that this isn’t me. I didn’t want to follow my family’s path, so I broke it and followed what my heart wanted,” he said.

Leaving behind the security of government work, Top threw himself into farming. His passion sometimes bordered on reckless enthusiasm.

“You have no idea how crazy I get when I’m fired up to plant vegetables. I even smashed through my parents’ kitchen wall just to plant sunflower sprouts. My dad was furious, of course,” he recalled with a laugh.

What seemed reckless to some was, in fact, determination. Top wanted to prove that agriculture could be more rewarding than the civil service.

“Many people looked down on me, saying ‘a spoiled child like you couldn’t make it,’ so I took that as motivation to stand here today,” he said.

With little land to begin with, Top experimented by planting vegetables along walls. 

From Small Experiments to Chef-Approved Produce

A breakthrough came when a restaurant chef noticed the quality of his produce. Top began growing ingredients specifically for chefs’ menus, like basil for pasta, ensuring freshness and building steady demand.

Over nine years, that persistence paid off. Ai Oun Farm now generates annual revenue of about LAK 800 million (USD 37,500).

“This number not only shows how much I can earn in one year but is also a symbol of success that makes my parents and others see the importance of agriculture,” he said.

Ai Oun Farm follows an integrated agriculture model, where different farming activities are combined on the same land so they complement one another. 

Vegetables garden

soft-shelled turtles

This approach conserves resources, reduces waste, and builds long-term sustainability.

But for Top, farming is about more than income or even sustainability. It’s also about giving back.

Sharing Knowledge with the Community

At just 30, Top is already focused on passing on what he has learned. He runs workshops and field visits to give young people hands-on exposure to agro-ecology. He also shares knowledge widely through social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook.

“I have a plan to develop my farm into a learning center focusing on agro-ecology,” he explained.

One of his proudest initiatives is the seed bank he built on the farm. It preserves the original varieties of plants and provides free seeds to villagers so they can grow food for themselves.

“For youths, find yourself, find what you love. Maybe you might like farming like I do. Agriculture has more value than you think. Let’s do farming!” Top urged.

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