Activities in the field of Conservation Agriculture have been conducted from 2003 to 2009 by PCADR (funded by AFD, french GEF and French Ministry of Foreign Affairs) under the umbrella of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Lao PDR. Several components have been implemented under this programme as the Lao National Agro-Ecology Programme (PRONAE) resulting from a partnership between NAFRI and CIRAD and the Rural Development Project of the four Southern districts of Xayabury Province (PASS). More recently, MAF, with the support of the French Agency for Development, has implemented the Sectoral Programme on Agro-Ecology (PROSA). Main objective of PROSA is to define a national strategy for the dissemination of CA in the Lao PDR including different stakeholders (educational sector, policy-makers at central and provincial level, representatives from farmer groups, research and extension agencies, private sector).

Read more: Overview on CA in the Lao PDR by Dr. Monthathip Chanphengxay, Director of NAFRI

Our priority

Taking the capital natural into consideration is the first priority. Maintaining and enhancing productive capacity of the soil and preservation of natural resources is a crucial element for long-term improvement of smallholders’ conditions and poverty alleviation (National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy). The main environmental and socio-economic objective will thus be to develop technical alternatives that shall enable the preservation of renewable but not inexhaustible natural resources such as soil and water, and to promote sustainable agriculture that is socially acceptable, economically profitable and environmentally sound. First of all the activities should move to restore and preserve the physical, chemical and biological fertility of the soils used in agriculture, which constitute much of the natural heritage of Laos.

 

 Soil management is the principal integrating topic for all development activities linked to agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing, preservation of infrastructure, water quality and the quality of life. Conservation agriculture based on the techniques of direct seeding and plant covers is thus proposed. Centring the approach on soil capital also makes it possible to maintain enough diversity to allow interesting ecosystemic properties to emerge, notably with regards to the natural functions of bio-geochemical regulatory cycles. It thus enables the project to meet the environmental issues through:

•  Promotion of technologies that can increase the productivity and socio-economic capacities of farming systems without negative affects related to land use, water use, inputs or pesticides;
• Promotion of technologies that can assist the careful and environmentally responsible development of the ecosystemic services of natural systems whose primary production functions are not fully exploited (e.g. the Plain of Jars);
• Promotion of technologies that increase energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sequestration.

In addition to the promotion of sustainable agriculture, this approach also allows the creation of global and local environmental public goods (GPG and LEPG), which for the moment have no monetary value. The concept of Payment for Environmental Services (PES) provided to society is appropriate here.

 

Read more: What is CA? by Mr. Anonh Khamhoung (pwt), poster on main principles of no-till and use of cover crops and systems implemented in southern Xayabury and Xieng Khouang

 

 

• 1- Approach (0/4)
• 2- Assessment (0/2)
• 3- Cropping systems and technologies (28/26)
• 4- Livestock interactions (0/2)
• 5- Machinery and inputs (3/7)
• 6- Events, Training and Communication (3/10)
• 7- Adoption: benefits and constraints (2/4)
• 8- Landscape management (0/1)
• 9- Strategy (3/0)