Title of document: Participatory Forest and Agriculture Land Use Planning, Allocation and Management (PFALUPAM) Authors: Michael Victor Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: TABI, NAFRI, DALaM 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: The presentation for Agroecology Futures Regional Forum, November 6-8, 2018, Siem Reap, Cambodia   Read More

Title of document: Presentations from the Regional Vegetable Forum 2018: Sharing knowledge to promote development of the vegetable sector Authors: Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: GRET/ALiSEA, LWD, WVI-C, DCA, Banteay Srei, Cambodian Horticulture Quality (CHQ of Plant and Food Research PFR) New Zealand, Oxfam, Caritas Cambodia, World Renew, and Anakot Kumar (AK) Year of publication: 2018 Geographic focus: Cambodia and Lao PDR Main issues / topics addressed (for example:…) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: The regional vegetable forum 2018, as a part of this series of events, has been again initiated by the ACIAR project ASEM/2012/081 – Improving market engagement, postharvest management and productivity of the Cambodian and Lao PDR vegetable industries. The theme of this forum is ‘Innovations of production and supply chain system for improved off-season vegetable’. This forum is proudly sponsored by Agroecology Learning Alliance in South East Asia (GRET/ALiSEA), Life With Dignity (LWD), World Vision International Cambodia (WVI-C), DanChurchAid (DCA), Banteay Srei, Cambodian Horticulture Quality (CHQ of Plant and Food Research PFR) New Zealand, Oxfam, Caritas Cambodia, World Renew, and Anakot Kumar (AK). The ACIAR project ASEM/2012/081 is the collaboration between the University of Adelaide, Charles Sturt University, Department of Primary Industry NSW, General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA), Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Royal University of Agriculture (RUA), iDE   global, SNV, National University of Laos (NUOL), National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute Lao PDR (NAFRI) and Clean Agricultural Development Centre (CADC). This forum held on the 7th September 2018 at Cambodiana Hotel. The event will look to share knowledge of innovative production systems for off-season vegetable and include an overview of trialled low cost, high performing protective cropping systems and other production innovations, planting methods, irrigation and nutrition, and disease and pest management. The latest studies, lesson learned, and/or research of innovative technologies for off-season vegetable in the region including postharvest handling and management and market access will be shared as the part of the supply chain system. The program will consist of the interactive panels discussion about how the innovative technologies both production and supply chain systems could transfer or share within the vegetable industry in the region. A casual networking forum dinner/cocktails drinks will be hosted at the end of the forum giving participants opportunities to develop connections with agribusiness, agricultural development agents, government actors and research institutes regionally   Read More

Title of document: ASEAN Action Plan on Fall Armyworm Control Authors/editor: ASEAN Secretariat, FAO Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: ASEAN Secretariat, FAO Year of publication: 2020 Geographic focus: ASEAN Main issues/ topics addressed (for example: …) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: The Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) was first reported in Southeast Asia in late 2018 in Thailand and Myanmar. It has since rapidly spread, and its presence is now confirmed in almost all ASEAN countries. The pest, which feeds on more than 350 plant species, can cause major damage, particularly to maize crops. Now it is endemic in the region, management will need to be focused on control rather than eradication. The impact of the Fall Armyworm’s presence in the ASEAN region will be considerable. Estimates using 10% crop damage across ASEAN maize crops indicates an annual US$884 million cost. Both in lost farmer income and as buyers are forced to import maize. ASEAN farmers are in urgent need of effective, locally valid and regionally relevant management solutions. Appropriate, cost-effective and practical integrated pest management (IPM) methods also wait to be developed, validated, promoted and/or scaled up.   Read More

Title of document: Agriculture and forestry sector contribution to the 8thNational Socio Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) Author: Mr. XaypladethChoulamany Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Departmentof Planning and Cooperation(DoPC), Lao PDR Year of publication: 2015 Geographic focus: Laos   Read More

Title of document: Session 1 Lessons from PROFIL and PRO Rice - Document in Lao language Geographic focus: Lao PDR School of agroecology: Organic Agriculture   Read More

Title of document: Indigenous agroforestry practices in two districts in the northern part of Lao PDR Authors: Houmchitsavath Sodarak; Chanhpeng Ditsaphon; Vienghad Thammavong; Nonggnao Ounthammasith; and Olle Forshed Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Northern Agriculture and Forestry Research Centre; Lao-Swedish Upland Agriculture and Forestry Research Programme Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Agro-forestry Objective of the document: To find out and document more about indigenous agroforestry practices in northern Laos so that good ideas and practices could be shared to other farmers to increase their livelihood. Introduction: In the north of Lao PDR people live close to the nature and their main activity is growing rice. Shifting cultivation is the dominating practice and upland rice is the dominating crop on the sloping hills. Paddy field practices are also to some extent common if there is available land for that activity. Also other crops then rice is cultivated in the upland farming land, such as corn, Job’s tear and a wide range of vegetables. These crops are often integrated in the traditional rice shifting cultivation practice or grown more intensively close to rivers where the land is often more fertile. The shifting cultivation practice in Lao PDR has been widely described in literature; see e.g. Roder (2001) and Sodarak (1998), and today we know quite a lot of how it is practiced. Shifting cultivation could be seen as an agroforestry practice since it is, if carried out in a good way with long fallows, a combination of agriculture and forestry. Side by side with the shifting cultivation practice also other agroforestry practices has been carried out for decades. That could be just some few treatments in the natural forest to get a wanted product (see e.g. Ankarfjard 1998) or it could also be highly advanced systems where trees, animals and plants grow together so that they can make benefit of each other. These systems are not so widely described in literature, either internationally or nationally. The range these practices or systems hold is very little known by a wider audience than the actual farmers in the villages. To know more what the farmers traditionally practice and what techniques and plants etc that has been adopted from projects and outsiders are both important factors to understand when further developing the rural upland agricultural and forestry activities. This study which aims to find out more about ongoing agroforestry practices in two districts is hopefully a step on the track to find out more sustainable and acceptable practices for farmers in these areas.   Read More

Title of document: Overview of the Status of PGS in Lao PDR Authors: Thavisith Bounyasouk Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: DOA/MAF Year of publication: 2018 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Status of PGS groups; Type of produce certified with PGS; Existing capacity at national level…) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: The presentation for Regional experience sharing workshop “Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) to promote agroecology in the Mekong Region” 1st to 3rd October 2018, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR.   Read More

Title of document: To till or not to till? The diffusion of conservation agriculture in Xieng Khouang province, Lao PDR Authors: Guillaume Lestrelin, Khamla Nanthavong, Etienne Jobard, Anousith Keophoxay, Pascal Lienhard, Chanxay Khambanseuang, and Jean-Christophe Castella Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: IRD UPV Montpellier; NAFRI; CIRAD; CIFOR Year of publication: 2010 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Conservation Agriculture Over the past decade, efforts have been made to promote conservation agriculture as an ecologically sound alternative to tillage-based agriculture in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). This paper assesses some of the outcomes of a five-year research project aimed at developing sustainable no-till cropping and pasture systems and promoting their adoption by smallholders in Xieng Khouang province. Based on extensive household surveys in 20 villages, it highlights key environmental and socioeconomic factors influencing the adoption and diffusion of conservation agriculture. Finally, it provides policy recommendations to facilitate agricultural innovation and provide greater incentives for farmers to shift towards more sustainable farming practices.   Read More

Title of document: Association for Rural Mobilisation and Improvement (ARMI) Authors: ARMI Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: ARMI Year of publication: 2017 Geographic focus: Lao PDR Main issues / topics addressed (for example: About ARMI, Main Activities and Planning……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: ARMI was founded by 15 former CIDSE staff in October 2006; registration application to LUSEA and approved in October 10th, 2006. In 2009, the Decree on association was established, and ARMI has received its official registration 511/MoHAinAugust 9th, 2012. Presentation for a brief overview “Association for Rural Mobilisation and Improvement (ARMI)”   Read More

Title of document: Stories From The Field - Women working toward a non-toxic environment Author:  Ilang Ilang Quijano et al. on behalf of Towards a Non-toxic Southeast Asia Date of publication: 2016 Geographical focus: Cambodge, China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam Summary: The often unseen but disastrous consequences of chemical-intensive food and agricultural production are felt most by half of the world’s food producers and rural population: women. On the average, women make up about 43 percent of the agricultural labour force in developing countries, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Women are involved in all stages of food production—everything from seed collection, land preparation, fertilizer and pesticides application, weeding, harvesting and storage, food processing, and livestock rearing. In addition, they are also responsible for most household and child-rearing activities. This booklet contains a collection of stories of 25 women from five countries who are involved in an inspiring, ongoing campaign to eliminate use of chemical pesticides and promote agroecology in the Mekong Region. These women are part of the programme Towards a Non-toxic SouthEast Asia, a programme aiming to reduce health and environmental risks from chemicals by monitoring, regulating and managing agricultural, industrial and consumer chemicals. Partners in this initiative are the Swedish Chemicals Agency (KemI), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP) and The Field Alliance (TFA). The stories in this booklet highlight how women were influenced by the work of these dedicated organizations and how various activities and support resulted in mobilization of communities to start working for improved livelihoods, through reduction of pesticides use and shift to agro-ecology.   Read More