b'good life SCALING SUCCESSProfitable Farms: PHOTOS BY PR ANAB K . AICH AND YORN SOVIETHThe Building BlocksBasanti Hansda, a community trainer, of Rural Economies conducts a session on backyard poultry business development with the members of a self-help group in Odisha, India.By Gaurisha Malhotra, World Ark writerTOR PON LOUK NEVER BELIEVED SHE COULD START A BUSINESS. Cultivating rice and raising chickens on her small piece of land in the Kampong Chhnang province of Cambodia, she could hardly grow enough to meet her familys needs, let alone earn an income. Nearly 500 million smallholder farmers globally are dependent upon small-scale farming like Tors, producing just enough to make ends meet and living on the edgejust one failed crop away from falling deeper into the clutches of poverty and hunger. The cycle of subsistence farming is perpetuated by limited land ownership and low farm productivity. Furthermore, many producers lack knowledge and functional skills that could support them to grow their farms into small businesses with financial viability, depriving them of earning a sustainable income to meet the foundational needs of their families and knit a safety net against emergencies.Understanding the LandscapeTo earn a Sustainable Living Income, farmers need support to rise above subsistence-level production and build profitable agricultural businesses. Vision building and enterpriseSuch an income enables all members of their household to lead dignified development training led by Heiferlives with access to nutritious food, education and health services.trainers helps farmers evaluate theirAdopting a business-centric approach toward farming allows producers resources, prepare business plans, track challenges and deviseto pick crops and animals they can earn money from, assess their mitigation plans. resources, identify financing needs, adopt effective production techniques, connect with organized markets and bag a fair price for their produce. 8| SPRING 2023'