Laos Population : 7.06 Millions Poverty headcount ratio (% of population): 18.3% GDP : $17.95 Trillions GDP growth (annual): 6.2% Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (% of GDP): 16% Area : 237,955㎢ Income Level: Lower middle income Source : World Development Indicators Database Year : 2018

Topic & Summary Year : 2018 Topic : Improving Agricultural Cooperatives Policies and Establishment of Agricultural Cooperative Models in Lao PDR Project Duration : 2018 Partner Ministry : Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Joint Research Agency : Department of Rural Development and Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Executing Agnecy : Department of Rural Development and Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Implementing Agency : Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) Project Director : Jang Heo, Research Director, Center for International Agricultural Partnership (CIAP), KREI Project Manager : Wonkyu Cha, Research Fellow, Center for International Agricultural Partnership (CIAP), KREI Project Officer : Yoonjung Lee, Researcher, CIAP, KREI Advisor : Dr. SungJae Park (GSnJ Institute), Dr. Jihyeon Choi (KREI) Year : 2013 Topic : Agricultural Cooperative Policies Project Duration : 2013 Partner Ministry : Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) Joint Research Agency : Department of Agriculture Extension and Cooperatives, MAF Executing Agnecy : Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs Implementing Agency : Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) Project Director : Jang Heo, Research Director, Center for International Agricultural Partnership (CIAP), KREI Project Manager : Jang Heo, Research Director, Center for International Agricultural Partnership (CIAP), KREI Project Officer : Dajung Jung, Research Associate, CIAP, KREI Advisor : Eui Sik Hwang (Research Director, KREI), Donghwan Ahn (Professor, Seoul National University)

2018

• Policy Meeting

  

  Policy Meeting

  
  Date
  - February 12 to 13, 2018
  
  Venue
  - Department of Rural Development and Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
  
  Results
  - From February 12 to 13, 2018, KREI visited the Department of Rural Development and Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PDR and a had policy meeting for discussing main objectives and expected outcomes of the 2018 KAPEX proejct. The both parties signed on the Record of Discussions for 2018 KAPEX Project including joint research, KAPEX Training Programs and KAPEX Result-sharing Workshops in Korea and Lao PDR. In addition, they also discussed the current institutional situation of agricultural cooperatives in Lao PDR for understanding the background of joint research.

• Joint research

  

  Joint research

  
  Topic
  - Improving Agricultural Cooperatives Policies and Establishment of Agricultural Cooperative Models in Lao PDR
  
  Partner Agency
  - Department of Rural Development and Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 
  
  1st Field Survey
  - From April 3 to 12, 2018, the KAPEX Joint Research team visited Lao PDR to conduct the 1st field survey. They had meetings with the joint research team from the Department of Rural Development and Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and visited three potential areas for selecting the area of the joint research. In addition, by inviting related stakeholders from Lao PDR, they had a KAPEX Kickoff Workshop to share the plan of the joint research.
  
  2nd Field Survey
  - From June 24 to 27, 2018, the team visited Lao PDR to conduct 2nd field study. They had meetings with the joint research team from Lao PDR to check the progress of the joint research and set plan for future activities. They also visited potential areas for planning future ODA project based on the current progress of the joint research.
  
  3nd Field Survey
  - From July 30 to August 3, 2018, the team visited Lao PDR to conduct 3rd field study. They had meetings with the joint research team from Lao PDR to discuss future research initiatives.  They also visited  potential areas and stakeholders for planning future ODA project based on the current progress of the joint research.
  
  Result-sharing Workshop in Lao PDR
  - From October 10 to 12, 2018, KREI held the results-sharing workshop in Lao PDR to share experience on Korea's experience on agricultural cooperatives and discuss the action plans for the development of agricultural cooperatives in Lao PDR.
  
  Major Findings
  - According to research, the establishment and Strengthening Farmer Organization (Agricultural Cooperatives) is considered as one of the major challenges for the agricultural and rural development in Laos due to agriculture contribution to GDP is about 20-30% annually, at present Laos have almost 3,630 farmer groups (FGs) with 1,864 of plantation and 1,776 of feeding groups, most of them are weakness on organization, small scale of members, unstable and limitation access to credit and market.
  In the current production and sales situation, it is possible to consider purchasing materials, managing sales sites and selling activities, transportation, etc. - The operation of the joint composting site, joint purchase of vinyl, joint sale and joint transportation seem to have a clear effect on cost reduction, and the demand for facility support is high. In the long run, the association needs to consider ways to manage and operate joint stores by encouraging the formation of the Organic Farm Cooperative Federation or Union.

• KAPEX Traning

  

  KAPEX Traning

  
  Date
  - May 13 ~ May 19, 2018
  
  Venue
  - Seoul, Naju-si, Chungju-si
  
  Results
  - The Invitational Training for 5 high-level public officials from Lao PDR was held in Korea to enhance policy development capabilities by sharing the development experience of agricultural cooperatives through lectures, site visits, and discussions. They had lectures including "Agricultural Policies", "Saemaul Movement" and "Agricultural Cooperatives". For study visits, they visited the Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Researcher and Extension Services, Anseong Farm, Seoul Agro-fisheries and Food Corporation (Garak Market), and Hanaro Mart (Yangjae-dong). Based on the implications from the lecture and study visits, the participants developed action plans for enhancing agricultural cooperatives systems in Lao PDR.

• KAPEX Academy

  

  KAPEX Academy

  
  Date
  - August 6 ~ September 6, 2018
  
  Venue
  - Naju-si
  
  Results
  - The Invitational Academy for 9 public officials from Lao PDR was held in Korea to enhance capacities regarding planning, implementing, and evaluating policies in the agricultural sector through lectures, field study activities, and country research. The participants took a total of 16 policy lectures on agricultural and rural development policy, livestock sector, agricultural value chain, and agricultural cooperatives. In addition, they visited a total of 9 institutions for the field study, including Rural Development Administration, Seoul Agro-fisheries and Food Corporation (Garak Market), and National Agricultural Cooperative Federation. Based on what they learned from the policy lectures and field study activities, they drafted a policy report regarding the topic of each country's joint research.

• KAPEX Result-sharing Workshop

  

  KAPEX Result-sharing Workshop

  
  Date
  - November 5, 2018
  
  Venue
  - Seoul
  
  Results
  - On November 17, 2017, the KAPEX Result-sharing Workshop was held in Korea to share the final results of the joint research and propose the possible ODA porjects from 3 partner countries, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Mongolia, for 2018 KAPEX Project. And also, the partners for 2019 KAPEX, Indonesia, Myanamr, and the Philippines participated in the workshop and presented the topic of their projects and shared the background of the projects.

2013

• Policy Meeting

  

  Policy Meeting

  
  Date
  - April 4, 2013
  
  Venue
  - Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Vientiane, Lao PDR
  
  Results
  - On April 4th 2013, KREI visited the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and had policy meetings with the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and other related institutions including the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute. They discussed the current situation of agricultural cooperatives policies in Lao PDR. In addition, KREI and the MAF signed on the Record of Discussions for 2013 KAPEX Project including joint research, KAPEX Training Programs and KAPEX Result-sharing Workshops in Korea and Lao PDR. 

• Joint research

  

  Joint research

  
  Topic
  - Agricultural Cooperative Policies
  
  Partner Agency
  - Department of Agriculture Extension and Cooperatives, MAF
  
  1st Field Survey
  - From June 15 to 21, 2013, the Joint Research team (Dr. Eui Sik Hwang and Prof. Donghwan Ahn) visited Lao PDR for the 1st field survey. On June 15, the Kick-off meeting was held to decide target areas and commodities for the joint research. The target areas of the research would be five provinces including Vientiane Capital, Vientiane, Kahm Mouan, Savannakeht and Champasak. In addition, the target commodities are rice, vegetable and coffee. The team visited farmers groups focusing on target commodities in target areas, markets, rice mill associations with the MAF to collect data and conduct interviews for analyzing current status of farmers group and diagnosing obstacles.
  
  2nd Field Survey
  - From August 15 to 17, 2013, the Joint Research team visited Lao PDR for the 2nd field survey. During their visit, the team had a meeting with agricultural finance institutions such as Agricultural Promotion Bank and Microfinance Institution for Development; and conducted in-depth interviews to examine the problems. In addition, the Joint research team provided feedback on the interim report and proposed direction for the final report to the MAF. Furthermore, the team discussed issues regarding the agricultural cooperative policy and shared the Korean experience on organizing farmers group and cooperatives.
  
  Result-sharing Workshop in Lao PDR
  - From October 17 to 20, 2013, KREI team visited Lao PDRs for the result-sharing workshop. The Workshop was held on October 18, 2013 to share the final result of joint research and proposed the future ODA projects regarding agricultural cooperatives in Lao PDR. KOICA, JICA, and DGRV participated in the Workshop and discussed the result of research and their experience on related projects. As a result of the joint research, the necessity of pilot agricultural cooperatives projects utilizing micro-finance was emphasized for the development of agricultural cooperatives system in Lao PDR.
  
  Major Findings
  - The objective of the Joint research is to collect data on the topic of agricultural cooperatives and to analyze their situations and circumstances in Laos. In addition, the research is to review the long and short-term agricultural policy and to make practical recommendations to the related Ministry of Lao PDR for the future development of the agricultural cooperatives. The research was conducted in the Vientiane, Kham Mouan, Savannakhet, and Champasak provinces on the current development status of agriculture and agricultural cooperatives, marketing system for major products, farmers’ organizations and financial services. The research indicated the problems such as low access to market and finance, weak capacity of farmers group, lack of legal framework and system for AC. As a result of the research, the MAF proposed the project with the following components: capacity building for the development of agricultural cooperative, AC development fund-raising, establishing management operation system for AC, etc.

• KAPEX Traning

  

  KAPEX Traning

  
  Date
  - (Invitational Training) May 20-31, 2013 / (Local Training) July 15-20, 2013
  
  Venue
  - Seoul, Korea and Vientiane, Lao PDR
  
  Results
  - Korean experiences on agricultural cooperatives’ development had been shared through invitational and local training held in Korea and Lao PDR. Ten high-ranked public officials were invited to Korea for two weeks to enhance understanding on agricultural cooperatives and policy development capabilities of Laotian public officials by sharing the development experience of Korean agricultural cooperatives. As a result of invitational training, the participants developed action plan for developing agricultural cooperatives based on the lectures and field visits provided. In the local training in Lao PDR, twenty public officials and experts in the practical level participated for getting ideas from lectures, site visit, and discussions.

• KAPEX Academy

  

• KAPEX Result-sharing Workshop

  

  KAPEX Result-sharing Workshop

  
  Date
  - November 6, 2013
  
  Venue
  - Seoul
  
  Results
  - The Korea Rural Economic Institute  and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs jointly held the KAPEX Result-sharing Workshop in Korea on November 6, 2013. The MAF shared the final result of the joint research and the ODA project proposal, written based on the final report of the Joint Research and the Action Plans.