CDE in Laos

[English below]👇

ພູມມິທັດເປັນສິ່ງທີ່ສຳຄັນຫຼາຍຕໍ່ໂພຊະນາການ

ຜົນໄດ້ຮັບເບື້ອງຕົ້ນຈາກການສົນທະນາກຸ່ມທີ່ດຳເນີນໂດຍ CDE - Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern ແລະ ໃນເດືອນພະຈິກ ແລະ ທັນວາ 2025 ທີ່ຜ່ານມານີ້ ພາຍໃນ 30 ບ້ານກຸ່ມເປົ້າໝາຍຂອງໂຄງການ Agriculture For Nutrition Project Phase II - AFN II ຢັ້ງຢືນເຖິງຄວາມສຳຄັນຢ່າງຍິ່ງຂອງພູມມິທັດຕໍ່ກັບໂພຊະນາການ.

ຕາຕະລາງນີ້ສະແດງໃຫ້ເຫັນເຖິງພຶ້ນທີ່ ທີ່ຊຸມຊົນໃນ 30 ບ້ານສ່ວນຫຼາຍເກັບກ່ຽວ ຫຼື ລ່າສັດ, ພືດ ແລະ ເຫັດ ມາຈາກໃສ. ມັນສະແດງໃຫ້ເຫັນເຖິງຄວາມສຳຄັນຂອງປ່າດົງດິບ ລວມທັງປ່າດົງດິບອ່ອນ ແລະ ປ່າດົງດິບແກ່, ສຳລັບພືດ ແລະ ເຫັດ. ນອກຈາກນີ້, ມັນສະແດງໃຫ້ເຫັນວ່າພື້ນທີ່ຊຸ່ມນ້ຳແມ່ນແຫຼ່ງໂປຣຕີນຂອງສັດ ໂດຍສະເພາະແມ່ນຊະນິດພັນນ້ຳທີ່ພົບໃນແມ່ນ້ຳ ແລະ ຫ້ວຍນ້ຳ. ທ້າຍທີ່ສຸດ, ມັນຍັງສະແດງໃຫ້ເຫັນ ຊຸມຊົນຍັງຕ້ອງອາໄສພື້ນທີ່ໃນທີ່ຢູ່ອາໄສ ໂດຍສະເພາະແມ່ນສວນຄົວ ເປັນແຫຼ່ງຂອງພືດ.

ພວກເຮົາຕື່ນເຕັ້ນທີ່ຈະໄດ້ລົງເລິກສຶກສາຂໍ້ມູນທີ່ເກັບກຳໄດ້ ແລະ ຈະແບ່ງປັນຜົນຂອງການຄົ້ນຄວ້າໄວ້ໃນຊ່ອງທາງນີ້.
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Multifunctional Landscapes are Crucial for Nutrition

Preliminary results from the focus group discussions conducted by and in November and December 2025 in 30 villages in the frame of the project confirm the crucial importance of diversified landscapes for nutrition.

This table shows where communities in the 30 villages mainly collect, harvest, or hunt animals, plants and fungi. It reveals the key importance of evergreen forests, but also young and old bush fallow, for plants and fungi. Further, it shows that wetlands are an invaluable source of animal protein, particularly aquatic species found in rivers and streams. Finally, it also shows that communities also rely on settlement areas, particularly home gardens as a source of plants.

We are excited to dive deeper into the data collected and will make sure to share selected findings on this channel.

[English below]👇

ໃນໄຕມາດສຸດທ້າຍຂອງປີ 2025, CDE ແລະ NAFRI ໄດ້ດໍາເນີນການສົນທະນາກຸ່ມ (focus group discussions) ໃນ 30 ໝູ່ບ້ານ ເພື່ອປະເມີນການນໍາໃຊ້ອາຫານປ່າ ແລະ ຜະລິດຕະພັນເຄື່ອງປ່າຂອງດົງທີ່ບໍ່ແມ່ນໄມ້ (NTFP) ພ້ອມທັງປະເມີນຄວາມສໍາຄັນຂອງແຫຼ່ງອາຫານ ແລະ ລາຍໄດ້. ໂດຍລວມຜູ້ເຂົ້າຮ່ວມໃນໜູ່ບ້ານດັ່ງກ່າວ ໄດ້ລະບຸຊະນິດສັດ, ພືດ ແລະ ເຫັດ ຫຼາຍກວ່າ 900 ຊະນິດ ແລະ ພ້ອມທັງໄດ້ໃຫ້ຂໍ້ມູນລາຍລະອຽດສໍາລັບ 120 ຊະນິດ ລວມທັງວິທີການນໍາໄປບໍລິໂພກ, ຜູ້ທີ່ບໍລິໂພກ, ຜູ້ທີ່ໄປເກັບ ແລະ ສະຖານທີ່ເກັບຊະນິດພັນດັ່ງກ່າວ.

ປັດຈຸບັນ ທີມງານຂອງ ສູນເພື່ອການພັດທະນາ ແລະ ສິ່ງແວດລ້ອມກໍາລັງດໍາເນີນການວິເຄາະຂໍ້ມູນດັ່ງກ່າວ ໂດຍຜົນການວິເຄາະເບື້ອງຕົ້ນຈະຖືກນໍາສະເໜີໃນວັນທີ 16–17 ມີນາ 2026 ທີ່ນະຄອນຫຼວງວຽງຈັນ, ເນື່ອງໃນໂອກາດຄະນະລົງກວດກາ (Supervision Mission) ຂອງ IFAD ສໍາລັບໂຄງການ ກະສິກຳເພື່ອໂພສະນາການ ໄລຍະ 2 (Agriculture for Nutrition (Phase II).
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In the last quarter of 2025, CDE and NAFRI conducted focus group discussions in 30 villages to assess the use of wild foods and non-timber forest products (NTFP), and their importance as sources of food and income. In total, participants in these villages identified over 900 animal, plant, and fungi species, and provided a detailed descriptions for 120 of them, including how and by whom they are consumed, who collects them and where they are collected.

The team at CDE is now busy analysing the data. Preliminary results will be presented on 16th and 17th of March 2026 in Vientiane, during an IFAD Supervision Mission for the Agriculture For Nutrition Project Phase II - AFN II.

CDE - Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐨𝐬? 🍫

Cocoa—the plant behind chocolate—thrives on the Bolaven Plateau! This crop holds remarkable potential for advancing sustainable land management through agroforestry and other sustainable practices. For example, intercropping cocoa with coffee or other commercial crops can diversify farmers’ income streams while strengthening climate resilience. Although many farmers have already begun cultivating cocoa, they face significant challenges, including the legacy of past agricultural scams, limited technical knowledge in production and post-harvest processing, as well as limited market linkages.

The Land For Life (LFL) project aims to bring together local communities and agricultural investors in multi-stakeholder platforms aimed at piloting, adoption, and implementation of sustainable land management practices. CDE Laos and the Department of Land Management and Development under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment recently conducted an assessment in Southern Laos to understand challenges of cocoa growers and to identify entry points for climate-resilient, robust, and sustainable cocoa value chains. The LFL project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation helps to link farmers with each other, and with experts and chocolate producers.

CDE - Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern

Land for Life (LFL): News from the Field

The for Life (LFL) Project recently completed key activities in Kham District, Xieng Khouang Province, over a two-week field mission.
Led by Pletsers Brice, Michael Epprecht, and Chanthavone Phomphakdy (Yo), the team engaged farmers in the Longkhao Valley to review and discuss key thematic areas, including livestock and crop management, post-harvest practices, erosion control, and forest and watershed restoration.
Concrete actions to address challenges related to these key thematic areas were identified and selected through participatory decision-making processes in four villages and two village clusters.
Farmers were organized by themes into Farmer Learning Groups. Each group selected representatives who will play a central role in implementing activities, supporting peer learning, and promoting knowledge exchange throughout the project cycle.

CDE - Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern
Swiss Cooperation Mekong

[English below]👇
ການຂະຫຍາຍຕົວຂອງຖົ່ວລຽນຢຸ່ ສປປ ລາວ

ຖົ່ວລຽນ (Durio zibethinus L.) ຖືກຂະໜານນາມວ່າເປັນ “ລາຊານີແຫ່ງໝາກໄມ້” ໃນພາກພື້ນອາຊຽນຕາເວັນອອກສ່ຽງໃຕ້. ຖົົ່ວລຽນມີສານອາຫານສູງ, ຊ່ວຍສົ່ງເສີມສຸຂະພາບ ໂດຍສະເພາະແມ່ນຕັບ ແລະ ຫົວໃຈ, ພ້ອມທັງເປັນແຫຼ່ງພະລັງງານທີ່ດີ.

ໝາກຖົ່ວລຽນ ກຳລັງໄດ້ຮັບຄວາມນິຍົມປູກຫຼາຍຢູ່ໃນພາກພື້ນອາຊຽນຕາເວັນອອກສ່ຽງໃຕ້ ລວມທັງປະເທດລາວ. ຄວາມຕ້ອງການບໍລິໂພກທີ່ເພີ່ມຂຶ້ນ ຂອງຕະຫຼາດ ສປ ຈີນ ໄດ້ດຶງດູດນັກລົງທຶນ ຕ່າງປະເທດ ແລະ ພາຍໃນ ເຂົ້າມາລົງທຶນປູກເພີ່ມຂຶ້ນ ຊຶ່ງເຮັດໃຫ້ເກີດມີຄໍາຖາມ ກ່ຽວກັບ ຄວາມເໝາະສົມຂອງທີ່ດິນ, ຄຸນນະພາບຂອງໝາກໄມ້ ແລະ ເກີດວັດທະຈັກ ການຂະຫຍາຍຕົວ ແລະ ລົ້ມເລວ ໃນການຜະລິດກະສິກຳເປັນສິນຄ້າ.

ການສໍາຫຼວດການປູກຖົ່ວລຽນຢູ່ 7 ແຂວງ ຂອງສປປ ລາວ ໃນຊ່ວງເດືອນ ຕຸລາ 2024 ຫາ ເດືອນ ມີນາ 2025 ໄດ້ພົບວ່າ ມີສວນປູກຖົ່ວລຽນທັງໝົດ 122 ແຫ່ງ ກວມເອົາເນື້ອທີ່ 16,520 ເຮັກຕາ, ແຕ່ວ່າມີພຽງເນື້ອທີ່ແຕ່ ¼ ເທົ່ານັ້ນ ທີ່ໄດ້ນຳໃຊ້ປູກຕົ້ນຖົ່ວລຽນແລ້ວ.
ຄວາມຕ້ອງການຂອງຕະຫຼາດສປ ຈີນ ທີ່ເພີ່ມຂຶ້ນດັ່ງກ່າວ ເປັນໂອກາດທາງດ້ານເສດຖະກິດ ສຳລັບສປປ ລາວ, ເຖິງແນວໃດກໍ່ຕາມ, ຜູ້ປູກຍັງພົບກັບສິ່ງທ້າທາຍຫຼາຍ ໂດຍສະເພາະ ແມ່ນຄຸນນະພາບ ຂອງໝາກຖົ່ວລຽນຕໍ່າ ເນື່ອງຈາກວ່າ ເຂົາເຈົ້າຂາດຄວາມຮູ້ ແລະ ຊ່ຽວຊານ. ຜົນການສຳຫຼວດ ຊີ້ໃຫ້ເຫັນຄວາມຈໍາເປັນໃນການຝຶກອົບຮົມດ້ານເຕັກນິກ, ການພັດທະນາຫຼັກສູດຜູ້ຊ່ຽວຊານດ້ານຖົ່ວລຽນ ແລະ ການຮ່ວມມືກັບຈີນ ດ້ານມາດຕະຖານການສົ່ງອອກ ແລະ ສຸຂະອະນາໄມພືດ ເພື່ອຮັບປະກັນການຜະລິດທີ່ຍືນຍົງ ແລະ ມີຄຸນນະພາບສູງ.
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DURIAN BOOM IN LAOS

Durian (𝘿𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙤 𝙯𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙨 L.) is celebrated as the King of Fruits in Southeast Asia. It is rich in nutrients, supports liver and heart health, and is valued for its energy-boosting properties.
The fruit is driving rapid plantation growth in Southeast Asia, including Laos. Rising demand from China has attracted foreign and local investors, raising questions about land suitability, fruit quality, and potential boom-and-bust cycles.
A survey conducted between October 2024 and March 2025 identified 122 plantations covering 16,520 hectares across seven provinces in Laos, but only one-fourth of these areas were planted with durian trees. The growing demand in the Chinese market offers economic potential for Laos; however, growers face numerous challenges, particularly low-quality fruit due to a lack of knowledge and expertise. This indicates the need for technical training, durian specialist programs, and collaboration with China on export and hygiene standards to ensure sustainable and high-quality production.



For more information:
Full report: https://shorturl.at/FbQMA
Brief Note: https://shorturl.at/i51Nt

[English below]👇

ຄວາມຄືບໜ້າທີ່ດີ ແລະ ບາດກ້າວທີ່ຊັດເຈນໃນຕໍ່ໜ້າ!

ໃນກອງປະຊຸມຄະນະຊີ້ນຳໂຄງການ ຊີວິດຈາກດິນ (LFL) ຄັ້ງທີ 2 ໃນເມື່ອວັນທີ 22 ມັງກອນ ທີ່ຜ່ານມາ, ໂດຍການເປັນປະທານຮ່ວມຂອງ ກະຊວງກະສິກຳ ແລະ ສິ່ງແວດລ້ອມ (MAE) ແລະ ອົງການເພື່ອການພັດທະນາ ແລະ ການຮ່ວມມື ຂອງປະເທດສະວິດເຊີແລນ (SDC) ໄດ້ເນັ້ນໜັກເຖິງຜົນສຳເລັດທີ່ສຳຄັນ:
• ຂໍ້ມູນເບື້ອງເລິກກ່ຽວກັບສະພາບການ ແລະ ສິ່ງທ້າທາຍຂອງການສໍາປະທານທີ່ດິນ
• ການສ້າງຂີດຄວາມສາມາດ ໃນການຄຸ້ມຄອງລະບົບຖານຂໍ້ມູນການເຊົ່າ-ສໍາປະທານທີ່ດິນ (LCIS) ລະຫວ່າງຂະແໜງການ ໃຫ້ສາມາດນໍາໃຊ້ໄດ້ຢ່າງເຕັມຮູບແບບ
ນອກຈາກນີ້, ບັນດາຜູ້ເຂົ້າຮ່ວມຍັງໄດ້ວາງທິດທາງໃນຕໍ່ໜ້າ ໂດຍການກຳນົດໂອກາດ ແລະ ວຽກງານບຸລິມະສິດ ເພື່ອສືບຕໍ່ຈາກຜົນສຳເລັດດັ່ງກ່າວ:
• ເພີ່ມທະວີການເຊື່ອມຕໍ່ລະຫວ່າງລະບົບ LCIS ແລະ ລະບົບຂໍ້ມູນອື່ນໆຂອງລັດຖະບານ ເຊັ່ນ: ກະຊວງການເງິນ ເພື່ອຊ່ວຍປັບປຸງການເກັບລາຍຮັບ ແລະ ພາສີອາກອນ ຈາກບັນດາໂຄງການລົງທຶນໃຫ້ມີປະສິດທິພາບຂຶ້ນ.
• ຫັນເອົາຫຼັກຖານ ແລະ ຂໍ້ມູນທີ່ມີ ມາເປັນການຈັດຕັ້ງປະຕິບັດຕົວຈິງ ເພື່ອເພີ່ມປະສິດທິພາບຂອງໂຄງການທີ່ມີຢູ່,
• ເສີມສ້າງການຮ່ວມມືຂ້າມຂະແໜງການ ເພື່ອຮັກສາຖານຂໍ້ມູນການສຳປະທານທີ່ດິນ ໃຫ້ມີຄວາມຄົບຖ້ວນ ແລະ ທັນເຫດການຢູ່ສະເໝີ.
ການອອກດຳລັດຮັບຮອງເອົາ LCIS ເປັນລະບົບຂໍ້ມູນຂ່າວສານທາງການຂອງລັດຖະບານ ໃນການຄຸ້ມຄອງການສຳປະທານທີ່ດິນແບບຂ້າມຂະແໜງການ ຖືເປັນບາດກ້າວອັນສຳຄັນ ໃນການສ້າງຄວາມເຂັ້ມແຂງໃຫ້ແກ່ການປະສານງານລະຫວ່າງສະຖາບັນ.
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Great progress and clear pathways ahead!

During the 2nd national Steering Committee Meeting of the Land For Life (LFL) project on 22nd January, the co-chairs from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) and the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) highlighted important milestones achieved:
• valuable insights into land concession dynamics and challenges
• establish capacities to manage a fully operational, cross-sectoral Land Concession Information System (LCIS).
Participants also looked ahead, identifying concrete opportunities and priorities to build on these achievements:
• enhancing linkages between the LCIS and other government information systems—such as those of the Ministry of Finance—to support improved revenue and taxes collection from investment projects,
• translating evidence into concrete actions to improve the efficiency of existing projects, and
• reinforcing cross-sectoral commitment to maintain a comprehensive and up-to-date land concession database.
A decree formally recognizing the LCIS as the government’s official information system for the cross-sectoral management of land concession was hailed as a crucial step towards strengthened institutional coordination.

CDE - Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern
Swiss Cooperation Mekong

Sabaidee from the Lao office of the Centre for Development and Environment-CDE (https://www.cde.unibe.ch/), a research centre at the University of Bern. We have been working in Laos for over 30 years, supporting sustainable development together with national and local partners.
This page is created to share our work in Laos, in a way that’s timely, local, and easy to follow. In Laos we focus on:
● Governance of large-scale land investments
● Agroecology, agrobiodiversity, and biodiversity
● Policies and practices for sustainable land management

On this page we will post weekly updates, including results from the field, news about events and knowledge products, and stories from our partners and communities.
Thank you for following. Looking forward to connecting!

CDE - Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern