VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): The government of South Korea, through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has pledged a total of US$8.1 million to Laos’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for two grant aided projects.
These projects will advance the agricultural sector in Laos and the agreement for the grants was signed in Vientiane recently.
The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos, Dr Linkham Douangsavanh, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Laos, Jung Yung Soo, and the Country Director of KOICA in Laos, Kim Myung Jin.
During the ceremony, the Record of Discussions was signed by Kim Myung Jin, and the Directors General of the Departments of Agricultural Land Management and Livestock and Fisheries.
This agreement confirmed the scope and implementation methods of the two projects. The grants focus on advancing the agriculture and livestock sectors in Laos through the two distinct projects.
The first project is “Digital Agri-Land Information Development to Strengthen Food Security in Laos”, with a duration of five years from 2024 and a budget of US$3.7 million.
This project aims to build a digital land information system to enhance agricultural productivity and develop more effective food security policies.
By integrating data-driven management and modern technologies, it is expected to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the agricultural sector in Laos.
The second project is “Improvement of Livestock Product Safety Management System in Laos”, which will run from 2023 to 2028 and has a budget of US$4.4 million.
This initiative focuses on strengthening the livestock product safety management system, thereby improving public health and quality of livestock products.
It aims to enhance the international competitiveness of Lao livestock products and position the country as a trusted supplier in domestic and international markets.
At the signing ceremony, Ambassador Jung Yung Soo highlighted Korea’s role as a key partner of Laos across various sectors, and expressed hope that the two projects will significantly contribute to agricultural development.
Dr Linkham expressed gratitude for the enduring friendship and cooperation between the two nations, and said that KOICA’s initiatives will serve as a solid milestone for the development of the agricultural and livestock sectors of Laos.
These agreements are expected to strengthen agricultural collaboration between South Korea and Laos while improving food security, public health and agricultural competitiveness in the region. - Vientiane Times/ANN
