VIENTIANE: The European Union (EU) has committed over 1 million euros to support women’s economic development in Laos through a new project focused on enhancing women’s roles in agriculture and environmental sustainability.
The ALLOWED (Access to Land - Lao Women’s Economic Development) initiative, which will run from 2026 to 2029, aims to benefit over 4,500 people, with 200 women as the primary beneficiaries.
The funding will be used to improve women’s knowledge and skills in the agriculture and environmental sectors across the provinces of Bokeo, Savannakhet, and Champasak.
The project will be implemented in 18 villages of four districts, with the ultimate goal of empowering women by improving their access to land, promoting climate-friendly farming techniques, and enhancing their economic opportunities.
A formal signing ceremony in Vientiane marked the launch of the partnership, attended by key officials from the EU, Laos’ Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and civil society organisations.
Deputy Director General of the Department of Planning and Cooperation at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Thevarak Phonekeo, and Country Representative of Cord Laos, Theresa Sayavong, signed the agreement that will guide the project’s implementation over the next four years.
The ALLOWED project will target six villages in Khong district, Champasak province; six villages in Xonnabouly district, Savannakhet province; and three villages in Paktha district, Bokeo province.
The project aims to build women’s leadership and technical skills in climate-smart agriculture, micro-business development, and financial management.
Additionally, it aims to create an enabling environment for gender equality, with an emphasis on shifting community attitudes towards women’s roles in agriculture and rural development.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Thevarak thanked the EU for their continued support, saying that the funding would significantly enhance the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s efforts to foster sustainable development in Laos’ agricultural and environmental sectors.
“This project will help unlock women’s potential in Laos, particularly in agriculture, which is the backbone of many rural economies,” he said.
Cord Laos representative, Sayavong, highlighted the transformative potential of the scheme, saying the ALLOWED project is a crucial step in empowering rural women, enabling them to manage and protect land and forests, while improving their financial resilience.
One of the project’s long-term goals is to establish training-of-trainers programmes to ensure that the skills and knowledge gained are sustained in local communities.
Project Coordinator at the Maeying Humjai Pattana Association (MHP), Komseng Siphavanh, said “We are committed to ensuring that women have the tools and opportunities they need to succeed and contribute to their communities.”
Charge d’Affaires of the EU in Laos, Mrs Veerle Smet, said gender equality and women’s empowerment are at the heart of the EU’s values. “Every person has the right to learn, to raise their voice, and to participate in decisions that affect their lives,” she said.
Cord is a UK-based INGO established in 1967, committed to building peace through relationship transformation and capacity development. Cord has operated in Laos since 2011. - Vientiane Times/ANN
