Title of document: Laos - CLEAR “Consolidated Livelihood Exercise for Analyzing Resilience” Authors: MONRE and WFP Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: MONRE, WFP and SWEDEN Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Livelihood zones; Resilience profile; Access to land; Livelihood diversity……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: This special report is published jointly by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the World Food Programme with technical support from the USAID’s Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (Mekong ARCC) project, as well as inputs from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Ministry of Planning and Investments, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the United Nations Development Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the NGO Disaster Risk Reduction and Management consortium (Oxfam, CARE, World Vision, the French Red Cross) and Decide Info. The report examines climate impacts on livelihoods and is intended to be used as a tool to identify adaptation options for the most vulnerable livelihoods.   Read More

Title of document: Briefing Note “Pesticide Use in Lao PDR: Health and Environmental Impact”_Version Lao&English Authors: Sopavanh Rassapong, Chanthaly Syfongxay, Ianlang Phanthanivong, Bounlue Syhalad, Soubin Phimmahthut, Thongsern Manyvong, Bandith Keothongkham, Dr. Surat Hongsibsong, Annie Shattuck, Andrew Bartlett Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: RURAS, DTEAP Year of publication: 2018 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Increasing Pesticide Use; Food Safety; Public Health; Environmental Risks from Pesticides; Conclusions and Recommendations……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: This Policy Brief is an output of the Sub Sector Working Group for Farmers and Agribusiness (SSWG-FAB). Data collection and analysis was supported by the Lao Upland Rural Advisory Service (LURAS), a program of SDC and MAF, implemented by Helvetas in partnership with the Department for Technical Extension and AgroProcessing (DTEAP).   Read More

Title of document: Country Report Status of Climate Change Adaptation and Identify Agricultural Technology in Lao PDR Authors: Ms. Sonephet PHOSALATH (MONRE), Mr. Chanseng PHONGPACHITH (MAF) Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: MONRE, MAF Year of publication: 2017 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Country Profile; Disasters and Climate Change; Transfer of Agricultural Technology in Lao PDR; General Exchange & Sharing……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: The presentation of the “CAPSA-MARDI Regional Training Workshop on Transfer of Agricultural Technology with Specific Focus on "Application of ICT for Resilient Agriculture". Putrajaya, Malaysia 18th - 20th July 2017”   Read More

Title of document: What place for an agroecological rice technique in rain fed lowland rice systems? - Case study of the SRS in Xieng Khuang Province, Laos Authors: Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: ISTOM, CTI, GRET Year of publication: 2017 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Context of the study of the System of Rice Intensification; Methodological framework and Data collection; Results: Dissemination, adoption and performance of SRS; Discussions and conclusion ……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: With the growing concern about food security in the northern part of Laos, it is critical to address the issue of sustainable intensification of food production, especially the staple food: rice. In this context, the presented study is designed to evaluate the performance and sustainability of a recent agro-ecological rice cropping technique, named the Sustainable Rice System (SRS).  This innovation, introduced in rain-fed lowland systems, is compared to traditional rice growing practices in the study area of Kham District,  Xieng  Khuang Province. The conduction of the study goes through the understanding of real diversity of practices, which has the result of a distinction between one-seedling practices, named as SRS, and the multipleseedling practices. Then, the emphasis on the SRS group demonstrates its status in the area as well as the benefits and disadvantages. In order to assess the sustainability of the SRS, the study tries to go beyond only using the “yield” indicator as the “be all and end all”, through the three mainstays dimensions of agro ecology; Social, Economic and Environmental. This shows that, even if the yield is not the primary benefit of the technique, farmers are still interested in adopting it as it provides other benefits. Nevertheless, all of the effects are not positive, and the durability of the technique does not seem to be fully guaranteed. This study therefore introduces many key answers to the questions addressed and presents a first overview to pave the way for following studies.   Read More

Title of document: Development in Practice: Commercialising smallholder agricultural production in Lao People’s Democratic Republic Authors: Kim Alexander, Peter Case, Michael Jones and John Connell Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Rutledge Year of publication: 2017 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Agricultural innovation system: actors and institutions; Methodology; Discussion of agricultural innovation systems; Conclusion ……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: Many smallholder farmers in Lao People’s Democratic Republic are transitioning from subsistence to commercial production. This article employs the Agriculture Innovation System (AIS) framework to report on empirical findings from six case studies of Lao smallholder production. It identifies the actors, organisations, and institutions involved in systemic commercialization of subsistence farming and articulates patterns of interactions that contribute to the relative success of the transition. Of the factors identified in the case studies, the most important enablers of commercial production and adoption of innovative technologies were technical and financial assistance, access to markets, and the formation of farmer associations/organisations.   Read More

Title of document: Concept Note for NUDP:  Learning from Longlan Village Authors: Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: NUDP Year of publication: Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues / topics addressed (for example: an introduction Longlan Village and Why is resilience important; What can NUDP learn from Ban Longlan?……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: A short visit to Ban Longlan on the border of Luang Prabang and Phonxai Districts provides an idyllic picture of village life in the mountains of Northern Laos.  High above the valley, amid karst peaks and mature forest, the Hmong inhabitants of Longlan appear to have escaped the poverty that affects so many other upland communities. The Northern Upland of Laos, where Ban Longlan is located, have often been characterised as poor and remote.  If may be more useful, however, to describe the region as highly diverse and highly dynamic. Ban Longlan is a success story.  This is the kind of success that the Northern Upland Development Programme wants to achieve in many other locations.  There are unique circumstances behind every story, but there are also lessons that can be applied elsewhere.   Read More

Title of document: Feedbacks from the field “A Simulation Game for Agroecology Transition in Uplands, LAO PDR” Authors: Dr. Jean Christophe, Robin Collombet, Soulikone, Sisavath, Khammeun Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: ACTAE, AFICAS Year of publication: 2018 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Agroecology transition issues  in Uplands, Lao PRD; EFICAS Project’s Game; Conclusion……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: This presentation for Using simulation games for agroecology issues in South-Eastern Asia, Vientiane, February 7-8, 2018, Lao PDR   Read More

Title of document: The Development of PGS stakeholder groups in Houapanh, Laos Authors: Dominique Van Der Borght Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: GRET Year of publication: 2018 Geographic focus: Laos Summary: This presentation about the development of PGS group in Houpanh province was part of the Thematic Workshop “Bringing Agroecology to the Market: Innovative Market Approaches and Institutional Settings to accompany the agroecological transition”, organized on the 9th February 2018, in Vientiane, Lao PDR   Read More

Title of document: Conference Proceedings The 6th Biennial ECHO Asia Agriculture and Community Development Conference - ECHO Asia Notes - Issue 34 Authors: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Echo Asia Year of publication: 2017 Geographic focus: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, India Summary: The proceedings of the 6th Biennial ECHO Asia Agriculture and Community Development Conference that took place in Chiang Mai in October 2017 includes several articles about sustainable farming and agroecological practices in Asia: 1. Edible Wild Plants and their Contribution to Livelihoods and Diet of Ethnic Communities in Northeastern Cambodia, Ra Thorng (Mekong Institute) 2. Enabling a Bottom-up Approach in a Top-down Environment: A Case Study on Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) Facilitation in Huaphanh Province, Lao PDR, Claire Georges and Pierre Ferrand (GRET) 3. Facilitating Farmer-led Innovation and Extension in Agroecology in the Ayeyarwaddy Delta, Myanmar, Justine Scholle, Premila Masse, and Louis Pautrizel (GRET) 4. Improving Lives and Livelihoods through Responsible Rural Tourism, with Examples from India, Keith Virgo, Manisha Pande, Pooja Masoor, and Dinesh Pande (Village Ways Pvt Ltd) 5. Sustainable Intensification of Rain Fed Lowland Rice Systems: A Case Study in Xieng Khouang, Province in Lao PDR, Mathilde Bourjac, Pierre Ferrand (GRET) and Jean-Christophe Castella (CIRAD)   Read More

Title of document: XAO BAN: Starting the agro-ecological transition among Hmong farmers in NongHet, XiengKhouang Province Authors: Laut Lee and Nongnut Foppes Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Xao Ban Year of publication: 2018 Geographic focus: Laos Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Introducing ourselves; Introducing the XaoBan Group; The farmers: Hmong in Nonghet, Xiengkhouang……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: This presentation for a brief overview XAO BAN: Starting the agro-ecological transition among Hmong farmers in NongHet, XiengKhouang Province for Thematic Workshop “Bringing Agroecology to the Market: Innovative Market Approaches and Institutional Settings to accompany the agroecological transition”, 9th February 2018, Vientiane, Lao PDR   Read More