While the Covid-19 pandemic radically changed our approach to support and implement capacity development activities, FAO has reacted to the new challenges and needs by continuously adapting and developing innovative approaches. 

Within the Ministry of Agriculture in Vientiane, Lao PDR, an office has now been fully equipped with open-source software, access to cloud-based web-applications for GIS and image processing tools to organize virtual meetings, as well as analysing, sharing and communicating data and information. 

Through the collaboration between the Lao PDR Ministry of Agriculture, FAO and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), a new software model for generating geospatial analysis for crop suitability under certain conditions has been developed. The application provides information to support land use planning and adaptation to climate change. 

The tool, developed in Python, integrates information related to climate, soil, and agricultural management, and has the capacity to read complex codes and is organised around several modules. The use of Jupyther Notebooks along with other software and applications allows for analysis of these codes and can generate instantaneous results. 

A training on using PyAEZ as a tool for land suitability analysis and monitoring agro-climatic conditions, in support to land use and agricultural management, was organised virtually over four days in September 2020. This training was part of the capacity development process under the project “Analyzing spatio-temporal dynamics of air pollution and contribution from the agricultural sector using geospatial technologies" (TCP/LAO/3803/C2). While using a virtual environment, training materials were adapted, and online shared spreadsheets and presentations allowed the creation of a collaborative virtual environment, where participants and the resource staff could easily interact with each other.