The Lao Farmers’ Association (LFA) plans to strengthen farmers’ group networks with the aim of producing quality agricultural products and increasing incomes. This was the consensus of the association’s annual meeting held in Vientiane, Lao PDR on February 11-12 to review achievements in 2024, discuss ongoing projects within each Commodities Network (ComNET), and outline the plan of work for 2025.
The gathering was supported by the AGREEN project and attended by farmer organization members and government partners. The meeting was co-chaired by the President of the LFA, Khammoun Xaymany, and the Deputy Director General of the Agricultural Extension and Cooperatives Department, Souvanhthong Namvong.
Xaymany said the meeting was significant for increasing the production capacity among cooperatives, production groups, farms, and business units.
Discussions centered on strengthening the network of products and farmers’ networks in relation to vegetables, tea, coffee, and rice.
Participants also discussed a strategic plan, a business plan to ensure access to new technology, funding, production factors, and new markets.
Development in all of these areas would help to improve farmers’ standard of living and contribute to the nation’s economic growth, said Xaymany. Productive discussions would help to improve the output of the association in 2025 in ways that were consistent and feasible, he added.
Namvong congratulated the association’s achievements over the past years, especially product improvement and the processing of products to add value and boost incomes.
The association is actively working to strengthen farmers’ networks so they can access more funding sources, new technologies, and information about ways to develop agriculture on a commercial basis, he said.
He advised the association to encourage farmers’ networks to adopt green agricultural practices as a model for growing crops on a commercial basis.
Also addressing the meeting, the association’s Director, Phoutthasinh Phimmachanh, outlined the progress made by the organization. Mention was made of the expansion of LFA’s membership to 210 organizations, success regarding nine agribusiness plans, improvement of production methods, and policies that benefit the association’s members.
The meeting formulated key plans for 2025 aimed at boosting the production of rice, vegetables, tea, and coffee.
Policy engagement will focus on access to finance, improving communication channels between members and the association, discussing the association’s revolving fund, improving the Youth Governing Board and the Youth Agribusiness Revolving Fund, fostering collaboration with relevant sectors, improving the association’s organization and funding, and ensuring the association’s sustainability.
For more information about LFA, visit their website: https://laofarmers.
Check out more photos of the meeting here:
This article was originally published by the Lao Farmer Association (LFA), an AFA member in Laos.
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