Launch of a Natural Resources Management plan as part of our community handicraft program

Since the launch of our community handicraft program in November 2019, we have seen a tremendous progress in the program’s activities through the engagement and commitment of the local community in the pilot villages. The villagers have seen the direct benefit that the program provides with an alternative income. Indeed, since the beginning of the program, local communities have sold their handicrafts for a total of over 53 million Lao kip (~5500 USD). This is a welcome alternative source of income for the local communities, who rely heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods and still face annual rice shortage for their local consumption.

As part of our program, we are now beginning a Natural Resources Management plan. In August 2021, this phase of the program started with a first field visit with our technical advisor Dr. Patrick d’Aquino from The French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) to develop the plan.

Dr. Patrick d’Aquino conducting local knowledge interviews in villages

Youth focus-group interview on natural resources management local knowledge

Natural resources local knowledge landscape mapping

The handicrafts produced are made of bamboo, rattan and pandanus leaves collected in the forests surrounding the villages. The Natural Resources Management plan is a crucial part of the program to ensure its sustainability. The Natural Resources Management plan will involve several steps over the next few years, including:

• An assessment of local knowledge (from the elders and from the youth) on natural resources management (for target species: bamboo, rattan, pandanus)
• An assessment of local knowledge on landscape management, including mapping skills
• Cost analysis and income generation training workshops
• Knowledge exchange with other handicraft projects in Laos (including with the sustainable rattan and bamboo project by WWF-Laos)
• Capacity building and role play game workshops on natural resources management actions
• Experimental field management plans for target plant species (in common and private land areas), including best practice harvesting techniques, restoration and plantation

We aim to involve the different generations of the community in  all these activities, notably by engaging with the local schools and teachers.

Conducting focus-group interviews on local knowledge on natural resources management

Project manager Dr. Lampheuy Kaensombath and technical advisor Dr. Patrick d’Aquino conducting focus group interviews in villages

Visit of community-lands where rattan, pandanus and bamboo are collected around villages

Visit of community-lands where rattan, pandanus and bamboo are collected around villages

Collect of handicrafts produced by villagers

Visit and progress discussions with villagers involved in the program

Visit and discussions with villagers involved in the program