Dr. Terence Bolger, ADB Laos

1. Increasing the Resilience of Upland
Agricultural Ecosystems to Climate Change
Terry Bolger
Pilot Activities Specialist
‘Capacity Enhancement for Coping with
Climate Change’ ADB TA7509-LAO

2. CECCC Pilot Projects
• Upland Agriculture –
Luang Prabang
• Flash Flooding - Vientiane
• Drought- Saravane
• Irrigated Lowland
Agriculture - Attapue

3. Objective of the Pilot Projects
To build capacity in Government of Lao PDR
institutions and local communities to
conceive, plan and implement climate change
adaptation activities.

4. Key Aspects of the Pilot Projects
• Agriculture and Water Resources Sectors
• CECCC interactions with provincial and district
government and villagers
• Capacity building: learning by doing in
planning, implementation and evaluation of
pilot projects
• Awareness Raising: demonstrating adaptation
options
• Technical training and support by CECCC

5. Project Cycle
• Develop selection criteria and identify project
partners
• Develop project concept
• Consultations with local government and
community partners to identify activities
• Develop detailed proposals and work plans
• Initial training in CCA concepts and approaches
• Implementation and evaluation of activities

6. AGRICULTURE PILOT PROJECTS
UPLAND: Xieng Ngeun & Nan Districts
Luang Prabang Province
LOWLAND: Saysettha District
Attapue Province

7. Project Location and Time
• 6 villages in Xieng Ngeun and Nan Districts,
Luang Prabang Province
• Time period for pilot project implementation:
January 2013 – March 2014 (15 months)

11. Implementing Agencies
• District Agriculture & Forestry Offices, Xieng
Ngeun and Nan Districts
• Provincial Agriculture & Forestry Office, Luang
Prabang Province
• Agriculture Research Center, NAFRI
• Plant Protection Center, Dept of Agriculture
• Dept of Disaster Management & Climate Change

12. Project Rationale
• Ecological breakdown of traditional shifting
cultivation upland farming systems
• Fallow periods decreased from a sustainable 8+
years to unsustainable periods of 0-3 years
• Population pressure
• Land concessions
• Land use zonation without appropriate
technologies for intensified land use

13. Symptoms & Vulnerabilities
• Soil erosion, depletion of soil organic matter
and nutrients
• Increase in weeds, pests and diseases
• Reduced yields (land and labour productivity)

14. Climate Change Projections
• Small temperature increase (0.023-0.05 oC/yr)
• Shorter, more intense wet seasons
• Longer and/or drier dry seasons
• Delay in onset of wet season, with increased
irregularity of rainfall
• Increased probability of extreme events
(floods and droughts)

15. Climate Change Impacts
• Incremental increase in current vulnerabilities
of upland farming systems

16. Key Principles
• Agroecological approach (EBA)
• Better capture and use of available water
• Maintain or restore soil organic matter and
soil fertility
• Crop diversification and rotation
(agrobiodiversity)
• Integrated Pest Management

17. Project Activities
Upland Crops: Job’s tears, rice, maize
• Earlier maturing improved and traditional
varieties
• Intercropping and relay cropping of beans
• Enhanced fallow with interplanted pigeonpea
• Organic matter and soil fertility assessment
and management
• Integrated pest management

18. Project Activities
Lowland rice paddy
• Earlier maturing and flood tolerant improved
and traditional varieties
• System of rice intensification (SRI)
• Short maturity beans and maize after rice
• Organic matter and soil fertility assessment
and management
• Integrated pest management

19. Project Activities
• Elucidate indigenous knowledge for coping
with climate variability and climate change
• Public awareness and participation (field day,
posters, etc)
• Workshops, training courses
• Study tour to upland farming systems in
Chiang Mai Province, Thailand

20. Expected Outputs
• Farmers gain skills in growing legumes, crop
rotation and managing soil organic matter, pests
and diseases to increase their food security and
resilience to climate variability and climate
change
• DAFO, PAFO, ARC and PPC staff increase capacity
to understand and address climate variability and
climate change in upland farming systems
• Reporting on the project activities, lessons
learned and future prospects

21. Thank You