Lao Agriculture and Forestry Expenditure Review PER Workshop May May, 2009, Addis Ababa Ethiopia Name of Country : Lao PDR. Name of Participants: Mr. Khamsay PHOTHIDETH Mr. Bouavanh CHANTHAVICHITH Organization of Participant: Department of Planning Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

PRESENTATION OUTLINE COUNTRY OVERVIEW STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF AGRICULTURE & FORESTRY SECTOR AGRICULTUR AND FORESTRY REVIEW( in the period )

COUNTRY OVERVIEW 1. Country: Centrally located in GMR Area = 236,800 km 2 Mountainous, land locked and tropical 2. Population: 5.7 millions 80% in rural areas 2.1% annual pop. growth 4. Economy: Narrow base - resource exploitation GDP per capita of US$650 GDP growth of 7% annually: GDP chare: 52% of GDP from agriculture 23% of GDP from industry 25% of GDP from services

Geography and Topography The mountains and plateaus cover an area approximately 80% of the country. Floodplains compose 20%. The Mekong is Great River in Laos and flows through 1,898 Kilometers of Lao territory and forms the major portion of the border with Thailand.

Geography and Topography (cont) The territories of the Mekong River in Laos are well endowed with water resources ( about 40%) which are particularly suitable for agricultural production and enable hydropower projects. More than 40% of the land is covered by the forestry.

Climate The country experiences a tropical monsoon climate with alternating wet and dry seasons The wet season extends from April to October and is dominated by a southwest monsoon with high rainfall, temperature and humidity. The annual rainfall ranges from less then 1,400 mm/year in the Northern valleys to over 1,900 mm/year in the South.

Population The population of Lao PDR is 5.7 millions people, of with 50.2% are female and 49.8% are male, density of population is an average of 24 persons per square kilometers. 3 mainly ethnic groups in Laos. growing at about 2.1% per year. Majority of the population mainly is Buddhists The urban population is only 20% and 80% of people live in rural and mountainous areas.

Some potential resources in agriculture and forestry sector There are some more 4 million hectares of arable and of which only 1.5 million hectares are in use, of which about hectares is occupied by crop production. Forest land covers about 11.2 million hectares which accounts 47% of the total land area.

Some potential resources in agriculture and forestry sector (cont) The high potential of water resource which can be used for irrigation purpose and hydro- power as well. Climatic condition are quite favorable for crops diversification

ECONOMIC ( GDP by sector)- Tax 1% Service 25% Industry 22% Agriculture 52%

ECONOMIC ( GDP by sub-- sector)- Forestry 6% Livestock 19% Crops 27%

STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF AGRICULTURE & FORESTRY SECTOR 3 Programmers and 20 projects implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry  INTEGRATED AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (Program No 2 of NSEDP) 1. FOOD PRODUCTION PROGRAMME ( Goal No 1 ) 2. COMMODITY PRODUCTION ( Goal No 2 )  INDUSTRY AND FORESTRY MANAGEMENT (Program No 3 of NSEDP) 3. DEFINITELY STOPPING OF SLASH AND BURN CULTIVATION (Goal No 3 )  POVERTY ERADICATION FOR HOUSEHOLDS COMMUNITY AND SHIFTING CULTIVATION STABILIZATION (Program No 6 of NSEDP) 4. SUSTAINABLE FORET MANAGEMENT AND WELL-BALANCED BETWEEN EXPLOITATION USES AND PROTECTION/COSERVATION (Goal No 4) *. 13 MESUREMENTS/PROCEDURES

Priority programs of the Agriculture and Forestry Sector Food Production; Commercial production; Stabilization and Reduction of shifting Cultivation; Agriculture and Forestry research Human Resource Development

Agriculture and Forestry sector policy implementation The logic is that national macro-economic goals set the framework of national macro-economic programs and policies. The sub-sector goals for agriculture and forestry make into project goals include the activities goals. In this respect agriculture and forestry sector will play the key role in the development of the national economy in the context of sustainable resource use and poverty alleviation since most of the poor population are farmers in the rural and mountainous areas.

Project/ budget allocation Degree No 58/PM (PIP management) Project types: I: ≥ 50 billion( MPI & Government) II :>5 ≤ 50 billion (MPI) III:< 5 billion ( line agencies, local governor ) Priority: 3 Programmers and 20 projects implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry Tools for screening: PCM, PIN,PCAP and M&E.

Agriculture and Forestry Review ( in the period ) PUBLIC INVESTMENT ,16 billion kip per year;  Managed by the Ministry is ,46 billion kip, ratio covering 35% of all fund in the whole sectors;  managed by the local is ,71 billion kip, ratio covering 65% of all fund in the whole sectors THE SPECIFIC FUND for forest and forest resources development related to the management of environment has the amount about billion kip per year

Agriculture and Forestry Review ( in the period ) DONOR SUPPORT: 69 cooperation projects has the amount of 247 million U.S. dollars  56 projects are free grant project has a amount of 116 million U.S. dollars  13 projects are loaned project has a mount of more than 104 million U.S. dollars

Agriculture and Forestry Review ( in the period ) COMPANY INVESTMENT: 627 companies with the total amount of more than 5 billion U.S. U.S. dollars  367 are invested by national private company  260 are invested by foreign companies

Agriculture and Forestry Review ( in the period ) A total amount on supplying raw material for processing factory and transferring to the trade is 434,8 million U.S. dollars covering 87% of plan (500 million U.S. dollars/ year)  Agricultural commodity301 million US. Dollars  Livestock and fishery102,4million US. Dollars  Forest and non-timber forest products 31,4 million US. Dollars

Agriculture and Forestry Review ( in the period ) The export of goods is 282 million U.S. dollars exceeding 41 % of plan (200 million U.S. dollars/ year)  Agricultural commodity182,8million US. Dollars  Livestock and fishery 24,6million US. Dollars  Forest and non-timber forest products 74,6 million US. Dollars

ACTUAL MAF LINES OF PLANNING AUTHORITY There is a close work relation with the MPI (The MPI set up macro economic, establish multi year planning framework and set annual planning criteria to the Ministry agency). DOP has the direct relation with the Director General and the Minister of MAF (The DOP formulates sect oral strategy and issues planning guidelines to technical department and integrates sub-sect oral plans into agriculture and forestry plan and forwards to MPI). All organization of the MAF (issue guideline and planning parameters to province agriculture and forestry services and forwards sub-sect oral plan to DOP).

ACTUAL MAF LINES OF PLANNING AUTHORITY (cont) At the local authority there are 18 PAFSO and 142 DAFO (PAFSO issues planning guidelines for DAFO and village committees and forwards provincial agriculture and forestry sub-sect oral plans to respective MAF Department). There are about villages, (the village committees and DAFO prepare and forwards district and village data, information and plans t0 PAFSO). ORGANIZATION CHART OF THE MAF2.doc

THE PROBLEMS

The constraints Low capacity in management planning, financing and statistics Low capacity in technical and management fields No clear job description for institutions and staff Limited incentive and low salary Limited educational level (36% university graduate plus 30% with high education) Potential manpower with 65% under 35 year of age Staff with limited field experience in some institutions Budget limitation for increasing and mobilize staff Practically no carrier development program especially staff who are assigned to remote area Low capacity of Subject Matter Specialist (SMS) at provincial level