Students benefit from raising wild rats in school

Students at Thakong secondary in the northeast province of Surin are running a small farm in the school compound, learning the skills in raising livestock, especially prairie voles or wild rats, for a living.

Students and their teachers have been making good returns from selling wild rats with a couple of rodent breeders fetching Bt1,000.
Farmers, planning for their own farms, often seek rat breeders from the school. Mature rodents could also be sold for meat at Bt120 per kilogram.
People in rural areas of Thailand traditionally consume rodent meat.
Raising rodents is relatively easier than other livestock, requiring only a small enclsoure. Charuvith Charoensup, 12 grade, said the rodents feed on grass, rice grain, maize and other vegetable.

Surapong Rattanakot, principle at Thakongwithaya school in Thakong township in Sangkha district, who supervises the trial farming said the school also provides experiment course for students to raise cattle, goats and fish.