Review of policies and practices in upland areas of the Lao PDR

Under the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NPEP) overall visions foragriculture, integrated watershed management and forestry seek to coordinatesectors in facilitating a holistic transformation of upland livelihoods to reducerural poverty and conserve natural resources. Operational policies, however,still centre on stabilising shifting cultivation, eliminating opium production,land use allocation, land use planning, and focal site development with villagerelocation and consolidation. Responsibility for planning, implementation andmeeting targets is increasingly delegated to provincial and district offices. Asa result, the overall policy environment tends to segregate lowland agricultureand upland forests, overwhelm local capacity with mandates underdecentralisation, and place strong constraints on land use while new livelihoodopportunities are still vague. The impacts of this are disrupting diversehousehold livelihood systems and bringing turbulence and uncertainty tomany upland communities.Government efforts to strengthen support for upland agriculture and forestryfocus on the development of responsive, demand-driven research andextension services. Although the National Agriculture and Forestry ResearchInstitute (NAFRI) is progressing, initial visions of improved extension servicesunder the National Agricultural and Forestry Extension Service (NAFES) appearpromising, and pilot projects are helping point the way, much more effort isneeded to build capacity at increasingly important village to provincial levels.In terms of improving livelihood component technologies, a great deal ofprogress has been made in lowland rice production, livestock health, andsome field and tree crops. Nonetheless much important work remains to bedone in horticulture, agroforestry, non-timber forest products, smallholdertimber, irrigated production in small upland valleys, community-based naturalresource and landscape management, as well as local processing, micro-enterprise and marketing chains. Organic and/or diverse niche products willrequire more effort to develop market opportunities, local identities andproduct lines, local entrepreneurial skills, and locally-adapted technologies.While the challenges are many, the experienced and motivated peopleparticipating in this workshop may be able to help expand the range ofpromising alternatives, and further build and accelerate efforts under NPEPto improve livelihoods in upland communities.This paper provides a brief overview of upland policies and practices. Theemphasis is on policy themes and directions, implementation issues, livelihoodimpacts, as well as emerging institutions, technologies and approaches tocommercial production.

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