Laos plans to restrict development on agricultural land to avoid potential food shortages in the future.
Mr. Phet Phomphiphak, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, said during the ongoing National Assembly Session that the ministry will ensure the country can retain 70% forest coverage, including riverside lands, Paxason Newspaper reports.
Laos currently has 4.5 million hectares of agricultural land, with 2 million hectares dedicated to rice farming and the rest to crop and animal farming.
The ministry is implementing land allocation and demarcation projects for protected areas in response to small, medium, and large investments in order to prioritize the production of marketable crops.
The Ministry will also improve soil quality by applying organic, bio-organic, green manure and chemical fertilizers across ten target provinces as part of a food security initiative.
Despite vast agricultural lands, farmers in Laos are suffering from fuel shortages and rising fertilizer prices.
The Lao Farmers Network has made a plea to authorities on social media, saying farmers are unable to plow their fields or water crops without access to diesel fuels.
