Overview of the Lao Upland Rural Advisory Service (LURAS), presented at SDC Partners Day, Vientiane, 11 Sep 2015

1. The Lao Uplands
Rural Advisory Services
Project

2. Project Framework
Project Agreement signed by MAF and
SDC, on 17 Dec 2014
Phase I duration: 3 years (Dec’14 - Dec’17)
Budget: 5 million Swiss Francs ($5.3 mill)
Implementing responsibility:
 Govt: Department of Agric Extension and
Cooperatives (DAEC)
 Donor: Helvetas + SNV

3. Background
The rural economy of Laos is undergoing a
transformation from subsistence to commercial
agriculture
Small farmers are faced with many new problems
and opportunities, and are in need of better
services to help them cope with the challenges
Projects such as LEAP helped to develop
approaches and capacity for service delivery, but
faced challenges in terms of the efficiency and
sustainability
New approaches are now needed, with a stronger
focus on the role of farmer organisations and the
private sector

4. Development Goal
An effective, demand-driven pluralistic extension
service delivery system (which involves various
providers, including self-determined and
independent farmer organisations) has been
established to support gender-inclusive
agricultural value chains, which improve upland
farmer’s food security, opportunities and
incomes.

5. Outcomes
1 Upland small farmers have better agricultural
productivity and income
2 Independent farmers’ organisations are
providing demand- oriented services to members.
3 Demand-driven and gender inclusive advisory
services are delivered by state and non-state actors
4 The policy framework is more conducive for
integration of smallholder farmers into value chains

6. Impact pathway

7. Management

8. Location
The project management team will be
based in Vientiane
The advisers at national level (PFT) will be
based in the Helvetas office, but maintain
regular contact with DAEC
In Phase 1, field activities will take place in
two provinces: Xieng Khuang and
Oudomxay
Each province will have a fulltime project
adviser, with support staff

9. Partners
DAEC, PAECs and DAFOs
MAF-DAW, NAFRI,NUOL-FAU, Ag Colleges
National Farmers Association and FOs
NPAs: CLICK, GDA and SAEDA
Private sector t.b.d
Sector Working Group and SWGAB
Other upland agric projects eg. NUDP and
SSSJ

10. Farmer Organisations
The empowerment of smallholder farmers is at
the heart of the project. Farmer Organisations
are the most important means for achieving this.
FOs help farmers to…
 Learn from each other
 Gain access to services
 Have a stronger voice
 Coordinate market activity
 Get a fairer price
 Make their own plans
 Manage shared facilities
 Engage in project activities

11. Capacity building
Improving the capacity of rural
communities is the priority for LURAS.
This will involves…
 Capacity building for individual FOs
 Capacity building for the Lao Farmer Network
 Support for service providers who are helping
build farmer capacity (state and non-state)
 Strengthening DAEC capacity to perform its
function as a facilitator for FO development

12. Strategic considerations
 The project document gives 9 strategic considerations:
 Providing women and men small farmers with greater voice
and choice
 Facilitating cooperation among RAS service providers
 Improving value chain governance
 Applying a pluralistic approach to both service delivery and
technical assistance
 Putting values into practice
 ‘Rural Advisory Services for everyone’ – gender and social
inclusion
 Knowing what works and what doesn’t
 Tackling sustainability of service provision from the outset
 Prioritising the resilience of smallholder farming systems

13. The Lao Uplands
Rural Advisory Services
Project