New technology for southern farmers
New technology for southern farmers
Residents in four southern provinces are leading better lives thanks to the Livelihood Improvement Project for Southern Mountainous and Plateau Areas (LIPS), according to an agriculture official.
One year after it was first introduced in Attapeu, Champassak, Saravan and Xekong provinces, LIPS has aided farmers' livestock breeding skills through training and new technology.
The aim of the project is to turn old methods of production into new ones, offering increased capacity and better revenue.
At a recent Joint Coordinator Committee (JCC) meeting for LIPS in Champassak province, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Livestock and Fisheries Department Director General, Dr Bounkhuang Khambounheuang, said his department had contributed to solving food security problems through production for domestic consumption, while assisting rural development and poverty alleviation.
He used the meeting to call upon relevant bodies to increase their responsibility in the project and pay more attention to cattle and fish breeding in focal areas through the expansion of appropriate technologies.
Dr Bounkhuang said the project would continue to ensure equipment and knowledge was off ered in the target localities to help promote more efficient livestock breeding and ensure enough food was being produced.
LIPS was initially introduced in Xekong province in 2011 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The project focused on livestock bre eding in two villages in Xekong's Lamam and Thataeng districts, while also encouraging residents in Lau-ngam district, Saravan province to breed fish in rice fields through integrated aquaculture.
LIPS also supports and monitors target families by sending teams at provincial and district levels to supply equipment, fish food and rice seeds, and helping people to practice modern techniques.
The implementation of the project is concurrent with Lao socio-economic development under the direction of the Part y and government, and is also in line with the newly-initiated Three Builds directive.
vientiane times
