Programme Name:   The Agrobiodiversity Initiative  ( TABI )  in Lao PDR

Duration of Support:   3 years, starting 1st March 2009 to 31 December 2011

Budget:   CHF 6,725,072   (Government of Lao PDR contribution: CHF 1,775,072; SDC contribution:   CHF 4,950,000)

Partners:   Ministry of Agriculture  and Forestry as Coordinating Agency

Implementing Agency: 

National Agriculture and Forestry and Extension (NAFES), National Agriculture  and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI), Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, National Land Management Administration, Water Resources and Environment Administration, Luangprabang and Xiengkhuang Provinces

Project Location:  

Luang Prabang and Xiengkhuang Provinces with possible extension to other provinces, Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Background:

The Agrobiodiversity Initiative (TABI) is a new programme to begin implementation in the Lao PDR in early 2009. It will directly address the escalating destruction of biodiversity resources in farming environtments which represent the foundation and safety net for the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of rural upland farmers in Laos. The design of the TABI is guided by basic principles drawn from outcomes of regional and global meetings on the implementation of Multilateral Environment Agreements, particularly the International Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and their practical application to farm level issues. The major thrust of TABI is to support the Lao PDR to implement the specific CBD Conference of Parties (CoP) Decisions on Agricultural Biodiversity related to food, income, nutrition, dietary diversity, hunger and poverty at the local and policy levels.  TABI will do this  by means of practical application of these principles, initially, through the existing portfolio of SDC-supported agriculture and natural resource projects and then by incorporating agrobiodiversity agendas and issues into other donor and government supported initiatives in the northern highlands on a broader scale.

Project Goal:   

The goal of TABI is to maintain and protect Lao PDR’s biodiversity as one key to poverty alleviation. The purpose of TABI is to improve  the livelihoods of upland communities based on the productive use  and conservation of agro-biodiversity  resources in farming landscapes.

Current Objectives:  

1. To improve capacity for effective governance of the Convention on Biological Diversity in the Lao PDR
2. To improve livelihoods of upland women and men farmers by means of  enhancing and conserving  agrobiodiversity by upland communities
3. Improved marketing of NTFPs and agricultural products on a sustainable and profitable basis, i.e. on the principles of economic viability, social equity and biodiversity conservation.
4. Maintaining and enhancing community access and control over their natural resource base.
5. Development and operation of a knowledge and information hub for monitoring and evaluating impact, generating and sharing information on agrobiodiversity and supporting a policy framework.

 Approaches:

The strategic approaches for implementation of TABI are based on the principal of government ownership, interagency cooperation, local level participation, phased implementation and high quality technical support mechanisms: 

1.  Gradual and systematic building-up of program, starting with selected activities
   The initially, the focus  will be on field–level activities (province to community level) that allow identifying and understanding ABD  issues  and piloting solutions as well as  developing functional collaboration mechanisms. Central level activities will supplement field-level activities where necessary in terms of coordination and cooperation, exchange of information and linking to policy level. 
2.  Building on existing organizations and projects for a program approach
   Initially, activities will be implemented with through SDC-funded projects making use of their know how related to ADB, resources, competence and partner networks. This will involve adding ABD-specific components to their regular activities and/or additional activities in cooperation with other stakeholders.  
3.  Knowledge and information for linking issues, actor and activities.
   The knowledge and information hub will play an important role by linking available knowledge and information and by supporting the exchange of information among actors. It will support the involved actors in a systematic learning process related to ABD-issues. 
4. Linking implementation ( Field-level experience ) with policy level.
   Initially the focus will be on capitalizing field experiences for an informed policy development process. In turn the field level activities will help to test the implication of policies and legal provisions. Accordingly, for the development of a conducive framework, the initiative will concentrate on areas where it can be linked to substantial implementation activities, rather than covering all policy areas.  
5.  Linking multiple stakeholders. 
   TABI will identify and mobilize stakeholders such as Non-Profit Associations, private sector  companies, the government education and health systems, and mass organizations. This approach supports functional cooperation mechanisms between stakeholders from different sectors and levels (national, provincial, etc.) and improves capacity for effective government of the management  and cooperation of TABI.

Expected Results: 

• Concerned institutions at all levels dealing with biodiversity have clear mandates for cooperation and coordinate the implementation of the CBD, an updated NBS action plan and functioning committees.
• Lao PDR delegations to the CBD COP are informed of national priorities and activities relevant to the COP and COP agendas relevant to the Lao PDR and all required reports submitted on time to the CBD Secretariat containing all national activities relevant to the CBD.
• Productivity and economic returns from upland cropping systems (intensive and subsistence) and associated forest areas are increased and ABD enhancement and sustainability practices for various farming systems are developed.
• Agrobiodiversity resources in aquatic and riparian ecosystems within farming landscapes are enhanced and conserved.
• Non-formal and the formal education system have incorporated practical need-based ABD curricula and activities.
• A strengthened capacity of multi-agency staff and stakeholders to collaborate, coordinate, learn and support ABD activities at the community level.
• Farmers are choosing and adapting agriculture systems according to their specific assets and livelihood strategies which incorporate ABD resource enhancement  strategies.
• An improved level of nutrition and nutrition knowledge in target communities particularly among women.
• Women from upland communities conserve and/or have enhanced access to ABD resources
  National and local policies and laws on NTFP collection, marketing, taxation and regulation are defined and understood by stakeholders allowing women and men farmers to market a wider range and higher quality of NTFP and agriculture products.
• Mixed gender farmer groups and networks for marketing NTFP and agriculture products are established, supported and functioning effectively.
• The NTFP sector in Laos is strengthened through alliances,  shared approaches and capacity
  A strengthened district level capacity for implementation of participatory Land Use Planning (LUP) processes and land allocation  related to the conservation and enhancement of agrobiodiversity resources as well as the development of local policies and regulations on agrobiodiversity collection, marketing and use.
• Guidelines to strengthen role of provincial and district authorities for negotiation with foreign investors to provide a safeguards against harmful investment plans are provided and understood, with provincial and national legal recourse mechanisms for villagers when covenants are broken exist.
• A greater gender equity in land use planning processes and ownership rights.
• Planning  and implementation is  based on the most recent and up to date knowledge about opportunities for securing livelihoods while conserving biodiversity.
• TABI activities are systematically monitored and evaluated in terms of biodiversity, livelihoods and gender for impact assessment, capitalization, and policy dialogue.
• TABI partners have access to and share information, knowledge, and experiences across different levels (local to international) within the programme and with external networks and partners.

Information and Publications:

TABI Assessment Documents related to:

• Agrobiodiversity and the opportunities to engage in the education sector
• Riparian ecosystems contributions to agrobiodiversity resources
• Aquatic ecosystems and their contributions to agrobiodiversity resources
• The spatial and gender dimensions of agrobiodiversity resources
• Opportunities for improving marketing of agrobiodiversity resources
• Opportunities for incorporating agrobiodiversity activities in upland farming systems
• Institutional considerations for effective  implementation of TABI

Contact:

Swiss Cooperation Office for the Mekong  Regions, Laos
Agrobiodiversity Programme in the Lao PDR
Tel  : 0856-21-251794/5
Fax : 0856-21-251797
Email: ventiane@sdc.net