The CDAIS project, or Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems, must focus on strengthening Laos's capacity to innovate in selected areas of smallholder production, like high quality coffee, organic products, rice, rattan and bamboo. That was the key take-away of the inception workshop, held in Vientiane on 8-9 February 2016, that marked the start of the CDAIS project in Laos. CDAIS is a global initiative in support of more productive and sustainable agricultural sectors. 

Key partners of CDAIS in Laos are the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI), FAO and CIRAD (a member of Agrinatura). Participants in the workshop included representatives from the government sector, researchers and extension officers, universities, the private sector, farmers' organizations, NGOs, and other relevant development partners. The meeting was the occasion to begin developing a national agricultural plan based on the needs of small-scale farmers and agribusiness. 

"Innovations in our coffee and rice sector demonstrate the potential for improvement in agricultural production and productivity, and their contribution to the livelihoods of Lao farmers,” NAFRI Director-General Dr. Bounthong Bouahom said. A representative from Cirad, Patrick d'Aquino, explained that CDAIS "will help Laos build the capacity for agricultural innovation that could meet the demand of those that need it the most". Thanks to the project, he added, farmers and service providers will learn by working together. 

With financial support from the European Union (EU), CDAIS is implemented at country level by FAO and Agrinatura. The project is allowing the validation of the TAP Common Framework on CD for AIS in eight pilot countries: Angola, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Laos and Rwanda.

More information about CDAIS in Laos is available here.