Kaviphone Phouthavong and Dr Thanawat Tiensin chair the national dialogue in Vientiane. - VT
VIENTIANE: Livestock plays a pivotal role in the Lao agricultural sector, contributing to more than a third of the sector’s value-added products, according to a senior official.
The director-general of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries, Kaviphone Phouthavong, said during the National Dialogue on Investment in Sustainable Livestock Transformation in Laos recently that Laos’ livestock exports in the past nine months were worth more than US$61 million.
Kaviphone emphasised that Laos has huge potential to boost livestock production for exports following the opening of Laos-China Railway in 2021. The country has large tracts of land that are suitable for livestock production projects geared toward export markets.
The demand for livestock and livestock products, including meat, milk and eggs, is rapidly increasing both domestically and in neighbouring markets, particularly China and Vietnam.
This growth is fuelled by the development of a regional road network throughout the Greater Mekong Subregion, and bilateral agreements between Laos and its neighbours on livestock exports. Annual livestock exports to China alone are valued at about US$54 million.
The two-day national dialogue aimed to address the challenges and opportunities in promoting investments for transforming the sustainable livestock sector.
The first day focused on contributing to more effective, inclusive, sustainable, resilient and low-carbon agrifood systems in Laos to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Building on the discussion and analysis from the first day, the second day focused on identifying priority investments for commercialisation of livestock to ensyre sustainable transformation in Laos.
Strategic public-private partnerships and a roadmap for the future were highlighted and prioritised.
Kaviphone emphasised the urgent need for a Livestock Development Master Plan, along with a National Plan of Action to support sustainable transformation of the livestock sector. The outcomes of this initiative will ensure food security, inclusive rural development, and climate resilience in the country and beyond, he said.
He acknowledged that a shared vision and strategies developed through the national dialogue will facilitate commitment by all stakeholders.
The Director of the FAO Animal Production and Health Division, Dr Thanawat Tiensin, affirmed FAO’s long-standing commitment to the Lao government to ensure food safety and security and the economic wellbeing of millions of farm households.
He recognised the significance of future contributions from the livestock sector, and acted as a change actor to support the transformation.
Dr Tiensin emphasised that such a transformation must be sustainable while ensuring essential nutrients, livelihoods and economic opportunities for millions of people.
It needs to promote a long-term agrifood system, protect natural resources, enhance economic resilience, increase productivity, reduce production costs, enhance market competitiveness, and ultimately contribute to economic growth and rural development. - Vientiane Times/ANN
