Title of document: Guideline on SRI Practice in Irrigated Paddy Fields in Laos Authors: Nippon Koei Co., Ltd. in association with NIACONSULT, Inc. & Lao Consulting Group Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Department of Planning; Northern Rural Infrastructure Development, Sector Project; ADB Year of publication: 2012 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: System of Rice Intensification The System of Rice Intensification, known as SRI, is an innovation in rice production systems by raising productivity of the land, labor, water and capital. SRI is a set of modified practices for managing rice plants and the soil, water and nutrients. SRI can produce more paddy yield with less external inputs. Furthermore, SRI is environment-friendly. SRI method can be adopted to any type of rice variety (local variety, HYV, hybrid variety). SRI is an innovation that is constituted entirely of knowledge, but not depending on external inputs and materials.   Read More

Title of document: Case Studies of Rural Development and Clean Agriculture in Lao PDR Author: Sachika Hirokawa Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development Year of publication: 2013 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Organic Agriculture The study examines the kind of actors and resources that empower small-scale farmers to promote sustainable agriculture. It also analyzes the reasons given by farmers who changed their farming methods. In 2004, the Department of Agriculture launched a project for the Promoting Organic Farming and Marketing in Lao PDR (PROFIL). PROFIL tried to develop market opportunities for Lao’s organic products and supported the local organic farmers. I conducted field researches at Nonte village in Vientiane Capital twice in 2008. The researches indicated that “Clean Agriculture” is one of the new challenges for farmers. Thus, this research focuses on the observation of how local organic farmers adapt to a new method and cope with problems. Information as knowledge from community groups and external actors such as local institutions and experts might help villagers to have choices in terms of farming methods, which gave them positive choices in terms of health and an agricultural environment. Since the government has the recognition of comparative advantages of clean agriculture, farmers may have the opportunity to gain a large market of organic farm products if they can develop distribution channels. This study encourages the positive contributions of challenges of sustainable agriculture in Lao PDR.   Read More

Title of document: Agroforestry and livelihoods in Lao PDR: Case studies in Napo and Haitai village, Vientiane Province Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: National University of Laos (NUOL), Vientiane, Laos; in cooperation with VITRI/University of Helsinki, and Kasetsart University, Bangkok; under the framework of the FORMEB project of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Institutional Cooperation Instrument (ICI). Year of publication: 2009 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Agro-forestry A field survey has been conducted to find out information on livelihood and agroforestry of the study area. The study was carried out in two villages of Sangthong District viz, Napo and Haitai. The study was carried out during 14-15th September 2009. The study was based on both primary and secondary data. For the primary data collection, socio-economic survey of 10 villagers has been carried out with a semi questionnaire format. Families were selected upon their dependence on agroforestry for their livelihood. In addition, most of respondents were found illiterate. Paddy is dominant crop in agricultural field and rice selling is the principle source of their income. Although there are several source of income generation activities available like, cattle, buffalo raising, NTFP collection, labour selling, etc. however, villagers overall income still quite low. Both the villages require lots of infrastructure establishment to uplift socio-economic condition. The gender role reveals that, the female working together with male is more efficiently for contributing in the crop filed in various activities.   Read More

Title of document: Rush for cash crops and forest protection: Neither and sparing nor land sharing   Authors: Thoumthone Vongvisouk, Rikke Brandt Broegaard, Ole Mertz, Sithong Thongmanivong Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Journal of Land Use Policy Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: Laos Url original document: www.elsevier.com/located/landusepol Summary: In many countries with large tracts of tropical forest. There is a dual focus on enhancing forest protection and increasing commercial agricultural for economic devlopment. Laos is a case in point for this deveopment as the government of Laos has a strong commitment to economic growth, with rural farmers in part help realize through a rush for cash crop production destine to be sold in neighboring countries. Maze cultivation, for example,  is rappidly expanding and grown under a Contract Farming System for Vietnamess market. At the same time, government of Laos attempts to increase nationwide forest cover and prepares for REDD+ (reducing deforestation and forest degradation). This paper explores how the recent boom in cash crops is impacting land use and livelihood local communities, as well as affecting forest conservation in Hua Meuang district of Huaphan province in the northeastern Laos. It also examines how local authorities react to these changes and navigate the contradicting policies. Further more the paper analyzes to what extent the land sparing intention of land and forest land allocation policies are fulfilled.   Read More

Title of document: Profiles of participants attending the multi stakeholder workshops on agroecological transition in the Mekong Region Authors: ALiSEA Team Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: ALiSEA Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar & Vietnam Summary: These 4 documents compile short biographies and contact details of most of the participants who have attended the 4 national multi-stakeholder workshops addressing Agroecological Transition in the Mekong Region organized between March and June 2016 (Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam Lao PDR).   Read More

Title of document: Decision of the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry on Organic Agriculture Standards   Authors: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Year of publication: 2011 Geographic focus: Laos Url original document: http://faolex.fao.org/cgi-bin/faolex.exe?rec_id=141126&database=faolex&search_type=link&table=result&lang=eng&format_name=@ERALL Summary: This version of the Lao Organic Standards is a translation of the Lao Organic Standards, edited by a native English speaker and might not reflect all times the full and precise meaning of the Lao version. The Lao standards are developed on the basis of models developed by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) and Agriculture Certification Thailand (ACT). The present standards will undergo periodic revision in order to reflect changes in production and marketing and growing experience of Lao stakeholders in organic agriculture.   Read More

Title of document: Rubber Development in the Lao PDR: Ensuring Sustainability Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: MAF Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; CATCH‐UP Comprehensive Analysis of Trajectories of Change in the Uplands Project (CIFOR/IRD/NAFRI); CIFOR Center for International Forestry Research; GTZ/BMA German Technical Cooperation; IRD Institute for Development Research; IUCN International Union for Conservation; LIWG Land Issues Working Group; NAFRI National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute; NLMA National Land Management Agency; NUOL/FOF National University of Lao PDR/Faculty of Forestry; SDC Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation; Sida Swedish International Development Agency; URDP Uplands Research and Capacity Development Programme/NAFRI Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Agro-forestry Overview of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Display for the ASEAN Rubber Conference: Lao PDR is experiencing a rapid expansion of rubber cultivation. Industry experts predict that the current estimates of 140,000 ha of rubber planted will grow to some 300,000 ha by 2020. The current boom in rubber is being fueled by a demand from rubber markets (particularly China) and investor interest.   Read More

Title of document: The Lao Uplands Sourcebook, Improving livelihoods in the Uplands of Lao PDR, Vol 4, Lao Authors: Bandith Ramangkoun, Michael Victor Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: NAFRI, NAFES, NUoL Year of publication: 2004 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Summary: The Lao Uplands Sourcebook was developed in order to provide field level extension workers, educators and students better access to the wealth of information and experiences in Uplands resource management in Lao PDR. The sourcebook includes 68 articles of best practices, lessons learned, and experiences gained by those working in the uplands. It is intended to provide field workers (provincial and district level staff ) with practical, easy to understand ways to solve problems facing upland development. The compilation can serve as a rich source of ideas and reference materials for trainers. It might also be useful to educators, policy makers, local officials and administrators. While the articles within the sourcebook can be further adapted to create community-based materials, the sourcebook as such is not meant for direct use with farmers or community groups.   Read More

Title of document: KNOWLEDGE CAPITALIZATION ON THE CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT FUND IN SAYABOURY PROVINCE (2008-2014) Author: Guillaume Lestrelin Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Cirad; DALaM; AFD; European Union Year of publication: 2015 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Conservation Agriculture Between 2001 and 2009, the four districts of Boten, Kenthao, Paklay and Thongmixay in southern Sayaboury Province have been targeted by two AFD-funded projects dealing with research and extension of Conservation Agriculture (CA), namely the “Programme National Agro-Ecologie” (PRONAE) and the “Programme de Capitalisation en Appui à la Politique de Développement Rural - Point d'Application du Sud de la province de Sayaboury” (PCADR-PASS). PRONAE was essentially focused on technical research and experimentation on Conservation Agriculture in a few localities while PCADR-PASS was engaged in the dissemination of the research results among farmers of the four districts. In 2008, PCADR-PASS had set up CA farmer groups in 44 villages, involving about 1100 households and 1500 ha of land cultivated with direct seeding mulch-based cropping systems.   Read More

Title of document: Consumer perceptions of organic food in  the Lao PDR Authors: Isabelle VAGNERON, Chitpasong KOUSONSAVATH, Maiyer XONG Year of publication: 2015 Geographic focus: Lao PDR School of agroecology: Organic agriculture Organisation: CIRAD/Oxfam/European Union/National University of Laos Web address: http://laofab.org/document/view/2750 Summary of the document: In general the document indicates the current perceptions and attitudes of end-users (customers, traders, restaurants) towards organic food in the Lao PDR.   Read More