Xieng Khouang, the first province to embrace the Agroecological and Safe Food System Transitions (ASSET) program funded by the French Agency for Development (AFD) and the European Union (EU), is leading the way in transforming agriculture in Laos.
Collaborating with the Department of Agricultural Land Management (DALAM) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the province aims to elevate agroecological practices and enhance living conditions for farmers.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, agroecology optimizes the relationships between plants, animals, humans, and the environment to ensure sustainable farming practices. This approach empowers communities to decide what they eat, how their food is produced, and where it comes from, all while ensuring fairness and accessibility.
The ASSET programme, which runs from 2020 to 2025, aims to enhance agricultural practices, create safer food systems, and foster inclusivity across Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Utilizing the region’s natural resources, the initiative targets four main objectives: improving agricultural sustainability, promoting natural resource management, fostering biodiversity, and enhancing food security.
Xieng Khouang Province, located in northeastern Laos, has been selected as the ideal model for the project due to its fertile soil and favorable climate for crop growth. The initiative focuses on three main districts: Phoukhout, Peak, and Kham.
Viengkham Chanthala, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry in Xieng Khouang Province, explained that agroecology is about integrated farming, where all aspects of biodiversity are interconnected. This approach maximizes benefits by promoting environmental protection, chemical-free farming, and a safer, healthier food system, he explained.
Sodsadee Natavong, a farmer from Peak district, shares her experience with duck farming, a practice encouraged by the ASSET programme to enrich rice fields with manure while also controlling pests.
“The ASSET provided my family with some ducks and knowledge on how to care for them. Ducks are food and an income. After the programme, our rice production doubled. I’m glad to participate in this programme,” she said.
Sodsadee also noted a ripple effect within her community.
“Other families who initially declined to participate are now reconsidering and seeking similar positive changes in their agricultural practices,” she remarked.
In Kham district, Phonekou Xayathila’s family is involved in a program focusing on coffee farming and beekeeping. Since the programme’s inception in 2023, they received 750 coffee trees and learned to cultivate them alongside banana trees for increased productivity.
“We never knew the plants needed to be watered with tap water occasionally until the authorities informed us,” Phonekou said. “They taught us how to properly grow bananas and coffee, and even covered our water bills so we could water them daily.”
Phonekou expresses gratitude for the ASSET program, which has significantly improved his family’s livelihood.
“The knowledge and support we received helped us achieve a higher income and better stability for our family,” he said.
The ASSET programme is proving to be a transformative force in Xieng Khouang Province, empowering local farmers with sustainable practices that enhance productivity and improve living conditions.
By fostering a deeper connection between agricultural techniques and ecological balance, the initiative promotes healthier, chemical-free food systems and increased incomes for participants like Sodsadee Natavong and Phonekou Xayathila, as well as others in the community.
