Title of document: NAFRI Policy Brief - Unlocking the full potential of Lao PDR’s tea sector_English & Lao version Authors/editor: Sengphachanh Sonethavixay, Khamphou Phouyyavong (PhD Candidate), Phanxay Ingxay (PhD), Isabelle Vagneron (PhD) Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: NAFRI Year of publication: 2018 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues/ topics addressed (for example:…) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: Policy Brief No. 001/2018: Tea in Laos is mainly grown and collected by smallholder farmers. It thus has a strong potential to contribute to poverty alleviation and rural development. Despite a relatively large production area, the volumes of tea produced and exported are low. Laos could take advantage of favorable production conditions, unique varieties and traditional know-how to develop a high-quality tea sector. The most pressing issue is to improve quality both inside the tea garden and at later stages (harvesting, processing). It is important to note however that improving farmer capacity can only be successful if the value-chain is organized in a way that farmers are able to reap the benefi ts of their eff orts towards improved quality. A sustainable and inclusive tea sector strategy focusing on the livelihoods and benefi ts of smallholder farmers, fair trade practices, building up and/or upgrading local processing facilities and diversifi ed markets should be collectively defi ned.   Read More

Title of document: The poster presents the results of various activities of the Lao Farmer Network (Lao language) Authors/editor: LFN Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: LFN, DEAC Year of publication: 2023 Geographic focus: Laos Main issues/ topics addressed (for example: a posters of partners organizations and farmer representatives to shared their experience on various of topics such as organic fertilizer business of Thakhor group, spring onion seed business, a new rice farming system, integrated pest control, producer public private sector partnership development, agriculture innovation competition scheme, etc…) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: The posters were shared in the Lao Farmer Network General Assembly on Febuary 1, 2023 that including lessons on organic fertilizer business of Thakhor group, spring onion seed business, a new rice farming system, integrated pest control, producer public private sector partnership development, agriculture innovation competition scheme, etc. Full article about LFN’s general assembly here   Read More

Title of document: Indigenous knowledge and the enhancement of community resilience to climate change in the Northern Mountainous Region of Vietnam Authors/editor: Ho Ngoc Son, Aaron Kingsbury & Ha Thi Hoa Journal’s name if any: www.tandfonline.com Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: Agriculture and Forestry Research & Development Centre for Mountainous Region (ADC), Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Quyet Thang Commune, Thai Nguyen City, Vietnam; Arts and Sciences, Maine Maritime Academy, Castine, ME, USA Year of publication: 2020 Geographic focus: Vietnam Main issues/ topics addressed (for example: …) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2020.1829777 Summary: Over centuries, ethnic minority communities in the north of Vietnam have developed complex farming systems well-adapted to their environments. Much of this is based on indigenous knowledge concerned with adapting to locally-available resources and more recently enhancing resiliency to climatic risk. This article draws from data gathered with mixed qualitative methods in ten villages in rural Bac Kan Province in the north of the country. It documents specific examples in the production of banana and medicinal plants; maize and red peanut; taro, pachyrhizus, and maize; and green bean as systems that incorporate native crops in ways that provide resistance to drought, improve water-use efficiency, benefit the soil, minimize agrochemical use, preserve culinary traditions, support gender equality, and increase the incomes of farm families living near the poverty line. Overall, this study illustrates unique ways that indigenous knowledge and agroecological farming practices can increase social, economic, and environmental resiliency, mitigate risk, and strengthen livelihoods in marginalized communities. As communities across the Global South seek answers to ever increasing challenges brought by changes in climate, this paper argues that policymakers should revisit, support, and promote the indigenous knowledge already present in these communities to advance more sustainable futures.   Read More

Title of document: Meeting Minutes on Consultation workshop on the concept of agroecology and sustainable food systems for Cambodia Authors/editor: Lucie Reynaud (GRET), Celia Del Campo Aragonés (DCA), Rada Kong (CIRAD Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: ASSET Year of publication: 2022 Geographic focus: Cambodia Main issues/ topics addressed (for example: …) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: This consultation workshop is part of the participatory process to build a common vision and understanding of the agricultural and food system and the changes needed to achieve agroecological and sustainable food systems transitions at national level… This is a meeting minutes on Consultation workshop on the concept of agroecology and sustainable food systems for Cambodia that was held on Thursday 24th, March 202, full article is here: https://ali-sea.org/agroecology-key-principles-consultation-workshop-in-cambodia-24th-march-2022/   Read More

Title of document: Food Systems Profile - The Lao People’s Democratic Republic The following people have contributed to this assessment and the writing of this note: Sayvisene Boulom, Thongdeuane Nanthanavone (National Consultants); Stéphane Guéneau (CIRAD), Meeta Punjabi Mehta (CFID, FAO), Pooja Khosla (CFIB, FAO), Maria Antonia Tuazon (FAO), Isabelle Vagneron (CIRAD) Leyla Werleigh (FAO, Lao PDR) , James Tefft (CFID, FAO). Editing and formatting: Alan Cooper, Saon Bhattacharya, Chiara Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: FAO, EU, CIRAD, MAF Year of publication: 2022 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues/ topics addressed (for example: …) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: This brief is the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CIRAD, and the European Union, in close consultation with national and international experts. It was implemented in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic from June to September 2021. The methodology used for preparing this brief is the result of a global initiative of the European Union, FAO, and CIRAD to support the sustainable and inclusive transformation of food systems. This assessment methodology is described in detail in the joint publication entitled, Catalysing the sustainable and inclusive transformation of food systems: conceptual framework and method for national and territorial assessment...   Read More

Title of document: Regional Workshop: Scaling-up Agroecology in ASEAN Higher Education to Meet SDGs and Ensure Climate Resilience Maejo University, Chiang Mai, Thailand Authors/editor: MU Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: CU, OHEC, MU, SEARCA, UNESCO, ALiSEA Year of publication: 2019 Geographic focus: ASEAN Main issues/ topics addressed (for example: …) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: As part of CU’s policy studies and dialogue project Maejo University (MJU) during 26-27 June, 2019 hosted a regional workshop in Chiang Mai on Scaling-up Agroecology in ASEAN Higher Education to meet SDGs and Ensure Climate Resilience” in partnership with CU and ASEAN Agriculture Universities Network (AAUN). This is the full report of Regional Workshop: Scaling-up Agroecology in ASEAN Higher Education to Meet SDGs and Ensure Climate Resilience Maejo University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 26-27 June 2019   Read More

Title of document: Analysis of agroecological transition at the national level the emergence and institutionalization of agroecology in Viet Nam Authors/editor: Hoang Thanh Tung Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: TAFS Project Year of publication: 2021 Geographic focus: Vietnam Main issues/ topics addressed (for example: The Agroecological Transition Policies in Viet Nam; Solutions to facilitate sustainable agroecology transition in Viet Nam…) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: The main objective of this study is to document what agroecology means in Vietnam and its degree of institutionalization in the existing policy framework. The study analyses the processes related to the emergence of agroecology in Vietnam, and the role played by different stakeholders in the public debate, which refers to the first step of the TAFS project (see figure p. 2). The review focuses on the last 10-15 years, when agroecology has emerged internationally in the policy debate within the preparation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This investigation will make possible to draw out the issues (challenges, themes, methods) surrounding the conceptualization and implementation of agroecological policies in the country.   Read More

Title of document: Overview of service provision business in Kanghot, Battambang Authors/editor: Sreymom Seing, Pierre Vernet, Bendith Tai, Rama, Vira Leng, Florent Tivet Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: MAFF, CIRAD, NIRAS, ATSA, AETS, CIRD Year of publication: 2021 Geographic focus: Cambodia Main issues/ topics addressed (for example: …) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: These activities are conducted by the Department of Agricultural Land Resources Management (DALRM), General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) in partnership with CIRAD under the support of the project Water Resources Management and Agroecological Transition for Cambodia (WAT4CAM-CS/04-02) funded by the French Agency for Development (AFD) and the European Union (EU). This activity is part of the Component 4 - Support innovative farming practices and support to rice value chain implemented by NIRAS, its partners and CIRAD, and refer specifically to the sub-component 4.2 – Research for Development on Agroecology. Link for the Webinar on Overview of Agricultural machinery service provision business in Kanghot, Battambang, July 14, 2021   Read More

Title of document: Use of legume cover crops to improve soil fertility, yield and profit in organic rice production Authors/editor: Rama Sry, Kakada Nhoeng, Vira Leng, Sothy Im, Borin Srun, Mathilde Sester, Florent Tivet, Vang Seng, Sokhom Srun Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: WAT4CAM, MAFF, CIRAD, NIRAS, AFD, EU Year of publication: 2021 Geographic focus: Cambodia Main issues/ topics addressed (for example: …) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: Brief of history of farmers in Rovieng district, Preah Vihear, Cambodia. These activities are conducted by the Department of Agricultural Land Resources Management (DALRM), General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) in partnership with CIRAD under the support of the project Water Resources Management and Agroecological Transition for Cambodia (WAT4CAM-CS/04-02) funded by the French Agency for Development (AFD) and the European Union (EU). This activity is part of the Component 4 - Support innovative farming practices and support to rice value chain implemented by NIRAS, its partners and CIRAD, and refer specifically to the sub-component 4.2 – Research for Development on Agroecology.   Read More

Title of document: National Action Plan for Sustainable Rattan and Bamboo (2020-2025) Authors/editor: GRET, MAF, WWF, SDC Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organization: GRET, MAF, WWF, SDC Year of publication: 2021 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues/ topics addressed (for example: …) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: Lao PDR is endowed with biodiversity and rattan and bamboo species that have played an important role in generating income for the rural communities. It was estimated that rattan and bamboo can contribute about 22,000,000 US dollars or more per year to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with about 150,000 households, within 1,700 villages, have access to and use rattan-bamboo resources. Many stakeholders agreed that the rattan-bamboo sectors still have a high potential for sustainable development based on the experiences and lessons learned from many projects that have been implemented in the past, such as the Bamboo and Rattan Project (GRET) and the Sustainable Rattan and Bamboo Harvesting Project (WWF). In Lao PDR, the sector’s development is still very scattered without a specific action plan to support it. This has resulted in the limited effectiveness of resource management for rattan and bamboo. The development of rattan and bamboo value chains and their contribution to income generation and poverty reduction can be improved.   Read More