Lower Mekong Food Security Database

Project Information

The project aimed to contribute to the improved sustainability of livelihoods of upland smallholders in northern Lao PDR. The expected immediate outcome was to improve livestock productivity and profitability under integrated upland farming systems through:

• Enhanced productivity of village livestock systems,
• Capacity building for community driven development (CDD), and
• Support for implementation management.

The project was also hoped to contribute to sustainable livelihoods through improved cash incomes, food security, and nutrition for some of the poorest segments of the population.

The objectives were achieved through the provision of access to appropriate technology, management and marketing systems, rationalization of household labor requirements, and improvement in the returns to labor. The project also supported the organization of village communities into small groups, training in credit management, and technical training in livestock rearing.

It also contributed to gender equity by providing upland ethnic women with opportunities and support to participate in the selection and implementation of community and household investments in livelihoods improvements. Women participated equitably in all training, group formation, and activities aimed at improved extension, production, and marketing. Expected environmental benefits include the stabilization of shifting cultivation, improved hygiene, introduction of cut-and-carry systems, and environmental health through waste management, disease control, and controlled animal movements.

The project's outputs included: (i) improved on-farm livestock production technologies; (ii) developed market efficiency and livestock enterprises; (iii) strengthened participatory extension networks; (iv) Effective community driven development; and (v) strengthened project implementation management.

Complementary Information

The project improved nutrition and food security and increased the self-reliance of upland communities, women in particularly. Additionally, gender issues were mainstreamed in all steps of the project implementation, for example, gender participation, gender-sensitive approach to small livestock development in the project area, and gender-disaggregated data in monitoring and evaluation.

Project Locations

Bokeo, Houaphan, Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Xiengkhouang