The government of Lao PDR is gearing up for an integrated rural development project as the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has pledged US$14 million in grant, the Vientiane Times reports.
The rural development project is set for a five-year run until 2019, concentrating in the capital city of Vientiane and in villages in the provinces of Vientiane and Savannakhet. The project will use the Korean model of Saemaul Und ong, a participatory approach to rural community-building introduced in the 1970s.
Using the said approach, the project seeks to improve the income of households by providing villagers with information on agriculture technology and agribusiness models. Other project activities include the building of an SMU Training Center for enhancing capacities of officials and village leaders on the SMU approach, and training of farmers through demonstration farms.
As part of the preparations, KOICA has sent Korean experts to the commencement meeting with key government representatives at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. KOICA Resident Representative to Laos, Mr. Kim Hanhng-Joo was quoted to have expressed his hopes that the project will bring positive effects including improved “living conditions of individuals” and “stronger communities.”
The meeting also involved a field visit to the project sites and rice production villages in Savannakhet and discussions with farmers.
This is not the first time KOICA is extending its support on agriculture and rural development projects in the country. In 2009, for example, KOICA had supported irrigation canal construction projects and projects on rural development in 2007 and 2008.
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