Adding Value to Forested Landscapes

New climate-smart livelihood opportunities

The effects of climate change are felt around the world but especially by vulnerable communities in remote areas, as is the case in Phongsaly. Most of the people who live here belong to ethnic minorities and their livelihoods rely on subsitance farming. This is becoming increasingly more complicated due to unpredictable and erratic weather patterns. Additionally, in Laos, the available land for cultivation is rapidly shrinking as it is instead used for infrastructure like hydroelectric dams or residential areas for the growing population. Coupled with the continued local practice of burning forest for shifting cultivation, this advances deforestation and ecological degradation.

PHOLIN offers new climate-smart livelihood opportunities for the local farmers in Phongsaly. As an alternative to shifting cultivation, the project promotes a harmonious coexistance of human and nature through the harvest and sale of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP), like red mushrooms, cardamom, broom grass, galang seed, china root, malabar trees and bamboo shoots.

Better prices for producers

To increase farmers' resilience, PHOLIN promotes their collective action. They are encouraged to organize and build producer groups, which allow them to grow more and higher quality NTFPs, as they benefit from shared knowledge and skills. They also participate in targeted trainings on technical skills such as harvesting and processing, as well as trainings to improve coordination, negotiation, gender equality, and social equity. Ultimately, this allows them to better represent their interests, voice their concerns and negotiate better prices for their products.

PHOLIN also trains public and private stakeholders in the NTFP sector and encourages them to offer their technical, organisational and marketing services to the producer groups. This improves the farmers' market access, productivity and profitability and promotes effective, sustainable, and fair NTFP value chains.

Participatory land use planning

Efforts to improve people’s skills and market access in the NTFP sector go hand in hand with promoting a sustainable and long-term management of the ecosystem. PHOLIN supports villages in updating their forest and land use plans to expand conservation zones for NTFPs. By clearly designating these areas, they receive legal protection, which helps ensure that natural resources are managed responsibly.

The process of updating land use plans is done participatorily. The inclusion of the communities raises people's awareness about customary regulations on land, forests, and natural resources and recognizes the rights of ethnic communities to use the resources for food security and income.