This year’s rice planting season in Laos started with droughts, making it difficult for farmers in parts of the country to plant after a heat wave in April and May. Then, just before harvesting season, Typhoon Yagi swept across Southeast Asia, bringing severe flooding to Laos. With climate change progressing quickly, Lao farmers must brace themselves for an increase in the frequency and/or severity of droughts, fires, storms and floods. These events are causing more and more damage to crops, homes, infrastructure and the economy. Helvetas has therefore been supporting Laos in developing a productive, inclusive and sustainable agricultural sector, and recently undertook a study looking back at two decades of support.

Over the last 20 years the face of agriculture in Laos’ has changed significantly, marked by a gradual shift from mostly subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture. The predominant farming systems in the past were focused on home consumption, with rice as the main crop. Over time, additional crops have been introduced to farmers. The main drivers for change towards more commercial crops are increased market accessibility in rural areas and the demand by neighboring countries for natural resources. For the latter, investments have been made in large rubber plantations and entire landscapes have been cleared to satisfy the demand of animal feed industries. Maize and cassava, which were introduced by mainly foreign companies, as well as coffee, rubber and tea, are commercial crops that have changed farming practices.