This document discusses the changing context of agriculture extension in Laos. It notes shifts such as declining dependence on the agricultural sector, the growth of foreign plantations and contract farming, and new farmer organizations and rural economies. The government has introduced new policies to transition extension services from a provider to facilitator role. The future of extension will require services that build resilience through diversity, knowledge, and farmer organization, rather than top-down models, to help farmers adapt to an uncertain future with trends like climate change, markets and regional stability. Extension must provide pluralistic, flexible services that facilitate farmer self-help.

1. The development of agriculture
extension in Lao PDR
Andrew Bartlett
LEAP Lessons Learned
and Closing Workshop
8th May 2014

2. Overview
 The changing context in Laos
 Changing need for services
 Looking ahead – the future of extension

3. Changing patterns of poverty

4. Changing access to land

5. Changing access to markets

6. Changing access to technology

7. Changing access to information

8. A new rural economy –
Foreign plantations

9. A new rural economy –
Local entrepreneurs

10. A new rural economy –
Land leasing

11. A new rural economy –
Contract farming

12. A new rural economy –
Farmer organisations

13. A new rural economy –
Less dependence on agric sector
48 %
28 %
?? %
?? %
20321992 2002 2012 2022
Agriculture share of GDP
in Lao PDR
37 %

14. A new policy framework
Prime Ministerial Decrees:
Village Clusters, PM/13, 2008
Land Leases or Concession, PM/135, 2009
Associations, PM/115, 2009
Cooperatives, PM/136, 2010
Standards for Poverty Reduction, PM/201, 2012
MAF organisation and functions, PM/262, 2012

15. A new policy framework
Strategy for Agricultural Development, 2011 to 2020
“The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) will
transition from being a provider of public services to a
regulator of private sector involvement in service
provision and facilitator of emerging new service
providers; also by devolving gradually the provision of
services to farmer organizations.

16. Public services that are no longer needed –
instructing villagers

17. Public services that are no longer needed –
promoting basic techniques

18. Public services that are no longer needed –
distributing inputs

19. Areas where better services are needed –
Organisational development

20. Areas where better services are needed –
Business development

21. Areas where better services are needed –
Environmental sustainability

22. Areas where better services are needed –
Food security for vulnerable groups

23. Looking ahead
Known trends, uncertain impacts:
 Regional market integration
 Outflow of rural labour
 Expansion of ITC
Unknown trends, potentially scary impacts:
 Climate change
 Commodity and currency markets
 Regional political stability

24. Conclusions
The context for agricultural extension in Laos is very
different from 15 years ago… and continues to
change in ways that are not fully predictable.
Consequently, resilience must be a goal in supporting
farming communities that face an unknown future
3 factors that contribute to resilience…
 Diversity eg. in production systems and marketing
 Knowledge eg. techniques & prices, rights & resources
 Organisation eg. groups, associations and networks

25. Conclusions
What are the implications for the future of
agricultural extension services in Laos?
Resilience is unlikely to be achieved by creating more
production targets, commodity zones and model
farmers
Instead, what is needed are…
 Pluralism: providing farmers with choices
 Flexibility: responding to changing needs
 Facilitation: helping farmers to help each other
The key word is services