The policy brief synthesizes information and issues from various research projects and studies on agricultural chemicals in Lao PDR. It incorporates the results of a comparative case-study of Thathom District which has a ban on pesticides and a low rate of pesticide use and nearby Kham District, which has no ban on pesticides and a high rate of use of chemical inputs. Descriptive statistics and information are used to analyze the factors that influence the use of agro-chemicals in the respective Districts. Lessons learned are used to formulate policy options and recommendations on green agriculture and food safety that may be applicable to other areas of the country
The purpose of this research brief is to synthesize the f ndings of ten policy research studies conducted by NAFRI’s Policy Think Tank (PTT) research team between 2016 and 2020, and complementary research studies. The research was related to commercialisation of agricultural products in Lao PDR.
Tea plants are native to East Asia and evidence of tea consumption in China goes back to the 2nd century BC. In Laos, tea was presumably cultivated and traded as early as the 7th century (Earth Systems, 2016). Forest tea, which includes both ancient and wild tea1, has been grown in Northern Laos for centuries (Marseille, 1990). In the 1920s, the French brought tea from Vietnam to cultivate on the Bolaven plateau and recognized the quality of wild forest teas from Xieng Khouang (Pedersen et al., 2016).
VIET NAM - Accumulated to August 25, 2020, the Ministry has completed 57 tasks (8 overdue tasks) out of 168 assigned tasks, the remaining 111 tasks are being implemented within the assigned time; Answering to 129 questions proposed by voters before the 9th Session, XIV National Assembly. Submitted to the Government, the Prime Minister issued 06 Decrees, 01 Decision, 09 Circulars; simplified 15/34 administrative procedures, reached 44.11%; Cost savings: VND 77.4 billion/year, reached the cost-cutting ratio: 72.80%...
VIET NAM - In July, although the Central Highlands and the South region were in the rainy season, the agricultural, forestry and fishery production had to cope with various difficulties such as natural disasters, floods, droughts...; The COVID-19 situation in the world was still complicated, especially in countries with important trade relations with Vietnam. However, agricultural production still followed the planned progress, forestry and fishery production gradually restored. Exports regained growth momentum. Some specific results are as follows:
The back-to-back workshops form part of the technical assistance for planning and development component of the Agricultural Transformation and Market Integration in the ASEAN Region: Responding to Food Security and Inclusiveness Concerns (ATMI ASEAN) Project, which is jointly implemented by (SEARCA) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Initiated in 2016, the (ATMI- ASEAN) Project aims to strengthen the capacity of ASEAN member states in developing policies and programs to improve the state of small holder farm sector vis-à-vis the agricultural transformation and market integration being driven by the ongoing ASEAN integration.
The main focus of agricultural trade facilitation is on the procedures that such trade undergoes in moving from the country of origin to the country of destination. Many, if not most of these procedures, are bureaucratic in nature involving papers and documents required for the traded products to be cleared and released to consignee (or loaded on the transport facility in case of exports). This follows the general meaning of trade facilitation as defined by the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development as “…simplification and harmonisation of international trade procedures that include activities, practices and formalities related to the collection, presentation, communication and processing of data required for the movement of goods…”1 Traditionally, this was confined to the processes and procedures at the borders, but with the expanded and more integrated logistics approach this has encompassed behind-the-border processes and procedures on both the production and consumption sides.