WATER PLANT

In the mountainous region of the northern part of Laos, traditional shifting cultivation agriculture is undergoing drastic transitions. New government policies stopping traditional cultivation and the rapid expansion of commercial agriculture with its mass deforestation is terminating traditional cultivation agriculture. Up until now, villagers in the area have relied on shifting cultivation and the surrounding forest lands to provide their main source of food - rice, as well as various vegetables and edible plants. Agriculture in this area relies heavily on rainfall and is vulnerable to changes in the climate, which results in fewer crop options and yields low productivity.  These factors combined threaten the food security of local people. A new food security safety net is urgently needed for these villagers. WATER PLANT aims at building the capacity of villagers to plan and implement activities for managing water resources in a sustainable way for the future. It also aims at establishing good relationships between villagers and respective government department offices in district and province level, which are responsible for water resource management. WATER PLANT and PLANT projects work side-by-side and are part of our larger vision for a sustained area development plan in Long District.