Regional Workshop on Responsible Large Scale Agricultural Investment

1. Regional
Workshop on
Responsible Large
Scale Agricultural
Investment
15th November 2017
Vanida khouangvichit
Village Focus International

2. Cross-sector collaboration is rare in Laos
Concerns about impacts of land investment are growing
with all sectors
Increasing interest in Responsible Investment
Situation

3. Responsible Agricultural
Investment Working Group
New space for cross-sector dialogue,
cooperation and trust building
Document good and improving
practices to share and replicate
across the country
Create a shared understanding of
‘Responsible Investment’ (shared
value)Formed in 2015 in response to growing concerns
about the impact of land-based investment

4. Sustainable development
Economic benefit
Avoid conflicts
Better operational environment
(transparent process and
regulation

5. Some findings from two case studies
Knowledge of the land acquisition process in Laos is
limited and confusing for all actors in the process
Challenges
involved in
community
engagement
Community need to be aware of their rights
The capacity of communities to participate needs to
be strengthened
Community needs to be informed
Lack of understanding of FPIC

6. Community
communication
and engagement
New initiatives: Partnership between NGO and
agribusiness for better community engagement
Lack of
women’s
participation
Needs to
understand
community
socio-cultural
structure
Customary
decision-
making
structure
Languages
barriers

7. FPIC and Community
Engagement Tools
Animation
video
‘Good Faith
Negotiations’
Posters
Land acquisition
process
Village Development
Fund
Partnership Agreement
Grievance Mechanism

9. 50%
Food Security Education
7 y 7 y 7 y 7 y .....
Villagers should collectively
agree on howto use the VDF
Remaining 50%will be paid every 7 years
Income Generation Infrastructure Water/Health/Sanitation
Village Development Fund
Village can use 50%of VDF after the agreement
is signed and approved by government
Village can use VDF on the following areas
THERENEWABLEMATERIALSCOMPANY

10. Training of
trainers for
company’s
land team
Capacity building for company’s land acquisition team
Coaching
and testing
communica
tion tools in
village level
Provide
feedback
on-site
Facilitation skills
Free Prior and
Informed Consent
(FPIC)
Customary land
rights
Compensation
Communication
tools

12. Some feedback from villagers
Women were reluctant to speak up during the whole village meeting,
but were active in participating in the focus group
A villager said “compared to what SEL provided before – which was just
paperwork – the posters are a good method”
More explanation on the process is needed, specifically for women and
women’s roles in decision-making

13. Khop Chai Lai Lai