FAO in Lao PDR, with assistance from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is working with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on fostering “Climate Change Adaptation in Wetlands Areas in Lao PDR” (CAWA). The Project, based on its ecosystem-based and landscape approach, is simultaneously working with local communities towards climate change adaptation and disaster risk management strategies. Livelihood shift is necessary to address climate risks, particularly flood and drought. One of the activities is to support local fish farming group to breed native fish for local consumption and production. The activities include distributing essential materials to construct ponds and fish breeding tanks and train the fish farming group to breed and raise native fish and manage funds. The activities encourage local communities to diversify away from flood-affected and flood-risky wet season rice. 

One of the admired fish breeders is Souban Thepsombat, one of the project beneficiaries who successfully breed and raise native fish. He is the fish farming leader in Taleo village, Champhone district, Savannakhet province, Lao PDR. Because of the support, he is able to sell fish and earn extra incomes for more than 1,000 USD annually. For the first time, Souban does not rely on rice production which is often impacted by flood and drought. 

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The Climate Change Adaptation in Wetlands Areas in Lao PDR (CAWA) project funded by Global Environment Facility (gef) works in wetlands: Xe Champhone (Savannakhet Province) and Beung Kiat Ngong (Champasak Province). The project aims to reduce climate change vulnerability and disaster risk of communities and protect the wetland landscape and ecosystems upon which they depend.

FAO works closely with partners to support a grassroot level to adapt to climate change by diversifying livelihood options and protecting natural resources and biodiversity. From helping fish breeders to breed native fish to training veterinary volunteers to care for animals when they get sick, FAO empowers women and disadvantaged people to participate in the project in order to ensure effective implementation and leave no one behind. 

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Wetlands are particularly threatened by climate change as one of the most fragile environments yet among the most productive ones, cradles of biological diversity, hydrological functions, and a range of ecosystem services that directly benefit local livelihoods. In September 2010, Lao PDR joined the Convention on Wetlands, called the “Ramsar Convention”. The Climate Change Adaptation in Wetlands Areas in Lao PDR (CAWA) project works in the two Ramsar-designated wetlands: Xe Champhone (Savannakhet Province) and Beung Kiat Ngong (Champasak Province). The project objective is to reduce climate change vulnerability and disaster risk of communities and protect the wetland landscape and ecosystems upon which they depend.

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 FAO in Lao PDR, with assistance from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is working with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on fostering “Climate Change Adaptation in Wetlands Areas in Lao PDR” (CAWA). The Project, based on its ecosystem-based and landscape approach, is simultaneously working with local communities towards climate change adaptation and disaster risk management strategies. Livelihood shift is necessary to address climate risks such as flood and drought, such as the promotion of the dry season vegetable production and small-scale water storage in 16 villages in the Xe Champhone wetlands. These activities encourage local communities to diversify away from flood-affected and flood-risky wet season rice. This is a village-level climate change adaptation and disaster risk management with better post-disaster nutrition and livelihood option, in addition to small-scale water storage and sustainable wetland management covered in one single intervention.

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