The French government will continue to partner with Laos and the country’s other development partners to ensure a thriving future for rural communities and farmers in Laos.

The Ambassador of France to Laos, Mrs Siv Leng Chhuor, made the pledge during the annual Sector Working Group on Agriculture and Rural Development (SWG-ARD) meeting in Vientiane, saying “We continue to move forward together, united in our shared vision for a resilient and thriving future for rural communities and farmers.”

The discussions brought together representatives from seven Sub-Sector Working Groups under the SWGARD, government officials, development partners, INGOs, NGOs, and key stakeholders to discuss the year’s achievements and strategic directions for the agriculture sector.

The meeting reviewed the progress made by the SWG-ARD during the past year and highlighted key achievements aligned with the four main recommendations made by the 2023 Round Table Implementation Meeting (RTIM).

The ongoing support from co-chairs the French Embassy and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is considered to be more critical than ever, along with the collaboration of all stakeholders, in crafting policies and strategies that will meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.

Also speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Mr Thongphat Vongmany expressed his appreciation to the French Embassy and FAO for their continuing support and cooperation.

This has been instrumental as the sector prepares for the review of the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and the 9th Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS), as well as preparation of the 10th  NSEDP and the 10th  ADS.

The meeting highlighted the significant advancements made in 2024 in line with the RTIM 2023 key recommendations, with a focus on four key areas.

These important areas of development were named as commercial production/agribusiness; enforcement of regulatory framework for forestry, forest resources management and safeguarding; investment, innovation and technology in climate resilient agriculture; and increased investment in capacity development in agriculture to enable government officials, smallholders and farmers to access infrastructure and strengthen natural resource management.

The gathering underscored the importance of ongoing collaboration among government agencies, development partners, and all stakeholders involved in the Sector Working Group on Agriculture and Rural Development. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Thongphat Vongmany, who is Chair of the Sector Working Group, alongside co-chairs Ambassador Siv LengChhuor and FAO Country Representative to Laos, Mrs Kyung Mee-Kim.

Resource: Vientiane Times