Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Agriculture and Natural Resources Sector Needs Assessment September 2006

The overall strategy of the Government is to develop the agriculture sector as well as the nonagricultural sectors in the rural areas to create employment, increase incomes, and restructure rural economies. There are plans to develop synergies between agriculture and emerging rural industries to increase the value of agricultural produce, especially for export. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) has initiated a review of programs and strategies in irrigation, forestry, and commercial agriculture by a joint funding agency–Government working group, with the objective of developing common guidelines for future investments and support services.