Vietnamese agricultural project supports livelihoods of Lao farmers

Many agricultural cooperation projects between Vietnam and Laos have recently transferred farming and livestock models to farmers, improving their livelihoods.

Chui Khay Nha Kham, a Lao farmer living in Savanakhet Province, told Thoi Dai Newspaper that his family's two hectares of land near the Vietnam-Laos border used to remain barren because he had no idea what to grow.

Since 2012, Nha Kham has planted more than 900 banana trees with the help of farmers in Vietnam's central Quang Tri province. The banana farm has provided Kham's family with a stable income and has become a model in his village, contributing to local economic development.

In addition to cooperation between localities, many Vietnamese companies and governmental agencies have also promoted agricultural cooperation with Lao localities.

Vietnamese farmers support seedlings for Lao peers. Photo: Binh Dien

Vietnam has supported the transfer of agricultural models and techniques to Laos in the areas of cultivation and plant protection, while importing Lao grapefruit, passion fruit, mango, orange, and other agricultural products.

The two countries regularly exchange information on animal diseases and the control of cross-border animal transport. Veterinary authorities from both sides regularly discuss quarantine measures for the transport of buffalo and cows between Laos and Vietnam to combat smuggling and prevent disease.

The two sides have jointly implemented irrigation projects with Vietnamese funding. Vietnam has assisted Laos in irrigation planning, trained and coached Lao irrigators, and shared experience in drafting irrigation laws and legal documents on the management and use of dams and canals.   

Economic benefits grow with friendship

At the conference to promote agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in February, agronomists agreed that there are still ample opportunities for cooperation between the two sides, which will benefit farmers in both countries.

Agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and Laos is not only about economic benefits but also about joint development, with farmers from the two countries supporting each other.

According to Vietnam's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan, the current agricultural cooperation between the two countries has no borders.

"Therefore, it is necessary to closely link production in Laos with the processing of agricultural products in Vietnam. This will help Laos find a market for its raw materials," Hoan added.

Vietnam's Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development and of Planning and Investment are working to establish the Vietnam-Laos Agricultural Business Association. The move is expected to provide a channel for investment cooperation and the organization of exchange activities.

Specific example in forest protection

Another example demonstrating the agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and Laos is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on forest protection signed between Salavan province of Laos and Thua Thien-Hue province of Vietnam.

The cooperation focuses on protecting forests in the border areas of the two localities in the next five years of 2023-2028.

Under the MOU, the two sides will cooperate to prevent and control illegal logging, mining, wildlife hunting, and timber and wildlife trade along the shared border areas.

Moreover, they will strictly monitor the importation and exportation of forest products and wildlife. Local communities will also be educated on the importance of forest protection and wildlife conservation.

Vietnam and Laos have had a long-lasting history of collaboration in many development areas, especially in agriculture and forestry cooperation.

In late 2022, Vietnam and Laos agreed to enhance comprehensive cooperation in agriculture, forestry, and rural development, focusing on applying technologies, training human resources, and investing in trade development.

The two countries have cooperated in an array of agriculture and forestry projects to support agricultural and rural development and poverty reduction models in Houaphanh and Xiengkhuang provinces of Laos.

The Lao government highly valued the results of projects funded by the Vietnamese Government in Laos, underlying that the projects have proved fruitful and become a symbol of the special friendship and sustainable cooperation between the two Parties, Governments, and people of Vietnam and Laos.

Vietnam and Laos have held frequent exchanges between senior officials, experts, and technicians to enhance cooperation and experience sharing in agriculture, forestry, irrigation, food safety, and investment attraction.

Laos expected that the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will keep supporting and strengthening ties with Laos in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and rural development for 2023-2025.

The Lao government also suggested stronger ties in cross-border natural resources management to increase afforestation, fight illegal deforestation and forestry exploitation, and control cross-border trade of timber, natural resources, and wildlife.