♪ laos is a land locked country in indochina with a population of 6.8 million. it's lunchtime in the capital and business is good at noodle restaurants. piping hot noodles with a large helping of vegetables in a popular dish.

for the people of laos vegetables are a core part of their diet. recently efforts on a marble level got under way to use vegetables as a driver for economic growth. over 60% of the population lives in poverty surviving on an income of less than $2 a day. one of the government's key policies for boosting the national income is to export organic produce. agriculture here is approaching a major transition point. in this episode of "asia insight," we follow the ongoing efforts to turn laos into a major exporter of organic produce.

vientiane, to capital of laos. a market in the city is bustling with shoppers. it's held three times a week and farmers here sell nothing but organic vegetables. these vegetables are grown without the use of agrochemicals. compared to other produce, organic vegetables are said to be more nutritious which is why they are richer in color. leafy vegetables have thicker stalks and remain juicy and fresh even after they are picked.

laos is one of the poorest countries in asia but the economy has been expanding resulting if larger middle and wealthy class. they are concerned about their health and will pay as much as 20% more to purchase organic vegetables. the market apparently always sells out. the farmers wear green polo shirts as they work. the shirts identify them as officially accredited organic farmers. only certified farmers are allowed to participate. organic markets are supported by the government.

80% of the country's population is involved inning a griagriculture agriculture. rice and vegetables have been produced and consumed locally. the mighty river winds through the indochina peninsula. the friendship bridge is greatly increased trade between laos and neighboring countries. the amount of imported goods from thailand is growing yearly and the community is set to be launched in 2015. it will eliminate customs tariffs within the community and allow affordable high quality produce from neighboring countries to hit local markets. it's expected to have a huge impact onning a agriculture in laos. organic agriculture is seen as

the key to boosting the doe domestic market. laos is suited to sustain organic agriculture. it has a long standing tradition of natural cultivation. many farmers were too poor to buy fertilizers. much of the land remained uncontaminated by agrochemicals. the government turned that situation into an advantage. it began produce as organic to build a viable export industry. it lacked the know-how to establish standards. the government sought financial and technical assistance from an ngo in swits land. this land to the law firm of the profil project in 2004. one year later laos created its on system based on international standards. there are now strict standards for tending the soil and using

organic fertilizers. organic agriculture has become a national strategy but there's still much more work to be done. some farmers are weary of the strict certification standards. others don't know organic farming exists. of the 18 provinces in laos, only six are currently participating. what's more the project has only taken root in a small number of villages. all organic produce is consumed domestically. there's still not enough of it to export. thavisith of the department of agriculture travels all around laos trying to convince more farmers to join the program. luang frabang is approximately

200 kilometers north.pfrabang is approximately 200 kilometers north.rabang is approximately 200 kilometers north. it was one the country's capital and is now designated as a world heritage site. the town is a major tourist destination and attracts visitors from all over the world. the government is tapping into the purchasing power and put it at the center of its organic farmer campaign. he arrives at the village with a population of approximately 400 people. most of whom are involved in agriculture. today he is speaking to a group of around 20 women.

for centuries farmers have grown vegetables by natural methods without using agrochemicals. organic farming isn't that simple. the soil must be prepared using organic fertilizers. it's hard work. many farmers in country side villages confuse natural cultivation with organic farming.

he encourages the women to take the organic vegetables and distinguish the difference between these and those they already grow through natural methods. after demonstrating how good organic produce tastes he teaches everyone how to make organic fertilizer. in this village the grentss available are cattle dung and rice husks. the manure and the chaff are

mixed together followed by a fertilizeing agent to activate the microbes. the mixture is left to ferment for two weeks before it can be used as organic fertilizer. after his lecture he highlights the benefits of switching to organic cultivation. he and his colleagues spend a week at a time in each village trying to transform the perceptions of local people.

for organic farming to succeed as a natural strategy the government also needs to monitor production quality. it's put strict quality control standards into place. 70 kilometers east is the village of tha xang. a number of farmers here grow organic produce inside greenhouses. of 132 farming families in the village, 20 produce organic vegetables. once rigorous standards were met the farmers were certified as a group and received official accreditation through the government in 2011. after being certified, farmers must maintain the quality of their produce or their certification will be revoked.

three times a year department of agriculture inspectors visit certified farms. they select a farmer for random inspection and check the quality of their products. without the use of agrochemicals insect infestation is a common problem in organic fields. farmers can prepare their own natural insecticide using

substances such as lemon grass and fish bones. the inspector moves on to the storehouse. he takes a look at the condition of the organic fertilizer.

strin jents inspections are essential for raising the quality of organic produce to export standards. village chief the first to introduce organic agriculture here. the village has always farmed rice. since the late 1990s the soil has depleted and rice harvests have fallen by half. he saw the solution to the villages problem. he discovered organic produce sells for a higher price than regularly produced vegetables. in 202005 he decided to participate in the government's

organic farming program. he adopted organic farming methods in order to raise income. organic farming requires a substantial investment to set up. plastic greenhouses can cost as much as $1200. he says this is equal to 80% of a traditional farmers annual income. only 15 of the 132 farming families in the village meet the criteria for organic agriculture. he's still trying to encourage more families to make the transition. today he's visiting somjit.

somjit says he cannot afford the initial investment. somjit is still not convinced. a few days later thatsany calls a meeting. it's been held at the home of up with of the organic farmers.

all the farmers who started growing organic produce have seen their incomes double allowing them to purchase large homes. the meeting is attended by four local farmers who are hesitant to make the switch. somjit is one of them. the farmers speak out with concern. he responds to them one by one.

although the farmers want to switch over to organic agriculture, there are still various issues that need to be

ironed out. currently accredited organic farmers in laos can only sell their produce at organic markets in three provinces. each village delivers its produce to the nearest market. it takes three hours for the farmers to transport their products to a village with a market that's held three times a week. these limited sales cover the expansion of organic farming. vientene is full of potential viz opportunities.

thatsany has come to see what he can do. he visits a luxury restaurant that caters to middle and upper class. one of selling points is its generous use of vegetables. he's never dealt directly with end users before. after waiting for 20 minutes, the owner appears. he did a sales pitch but the owner is dubious.

he tries to convince the owner of the high quality of the produce. unfortunately, he's unable to reach an agreement and realizes the difficulty of direct sales.

he doesn't want to return to the village until he has succeeded. his next port of call is a food manufacturer on the out skirts. he has managed to arrange a meeting thanks to an introduction from one of his associates. the company manufactures yogurt jam and pasta sauce all made without additives. the products are sold to five star hotels and luxury restaurants in the capital. he hopes some of the vegetables from his villages can be used in the products.

the owner of the company is interested. they agree to discuss the

details at a later date. the owner also buys the samples he's bought with him and tries them in the company's salads. he's only ever farmed. it's his first time to see his produce into an end product. while watching the vegetables being prepared he has made a few discoveryies discoveries.

the workers prepare a salad and a dressing. he's never before eaten a dressed salad.

salad made with locally produced organic vegetables reaches the stores. they have taken bold steps. thanks their efforts, organic farming may help to put laos on the economic map in asia.

steves: the dramatic rock of cashel is one of ireland's most evocative sites. this was the seat of ancient irish kings for seven centuries. st. patrick baptized king aengus here in about 450 a.d. in around 1100 an irish king gave cashel to the church, and it grew to become the ecclesiastical capital of all ireland. 800 years ago, this monastic community was just a chapel and a round tower standing high on this bluff. it looked out then as it does today over the plain of tipperary, called the golden vale because its rich soil makes it ireland's best farmland. on this historic rock, you stroll among these ruins in the footsteps of st. patrick, and wandering through my favorite celtic cross graveyard, i feel the soul of ireland.

this week on "moyers & company" -- >> we in america have a higher opinion of ourselves than maybe we deserve. we've always believed that we're democrats. we're fundamentally egalitarian. but i see that egalitarian impulse disappearing. i see it either being numbed or actually snuffed out. >> announcer: funding is provided by -- anne gumowitz, encouraging the renewal of democracy. carnegie corporation of new york, supporting innovations in education, democratic engagement, and the advancement

of international peace and security at carnegie.org. the ford foundation, working with visionaries on the front lines of social change worldwide.