This is from a major banana growing area where the bridge every year was washed away, preventing several 1000 tons of banan from reaching markets. This year, with the planting of several 100 vetiver plants, the bridge showed no signs of giving in, and trucks flowed through with ease.

Banana growers have been installing vetiver hedges to reduce erosion, retain humidity in the soil and use it for mulch. Yield increase is flagrant and comes earlier than plantations that don't use vetiver. Much of the information transfer was done using pictures from the Thai Office of the Royal Development Project Board "Vetiver and the Environment." The Gouloumbou banana picture below

shows the banana bunch already hanging, while trees in another section (photo immediately above) next to this one had not yet flowered.