Making economic integration work for the rural poor through contract farming practices in Laos

Adaptation challenge

• The governments of the Mekong Region are promoting “contract farming” as one of the approaches to develop commercially oriented smallholder rice production.

• Regional policy on contract farming and practices must be shaped to respond to the specific needs identified by farmers

Expected outputs

The SUMERNET study on contract farming in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand has attempted to model the policy recommendations in response to information provided by farmers, contracting representatives, government representatives and other experts, while comparing the hopes for the future with the status of contract farming on the ground. Each recommendation is designed to respond to the way impacts are felt by contract farmers and to engage the stakeholders, both the farmers and contractors on a level that takes into account the strategies they currently employ in contract farming.

Timescale of project

2011 - 2012

Scope

Mekong regional

Focal point

Dr. Yanyong Inmuong
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Public Health
Khon Kaen University, Thailand
Email: yanyong@kku.ac.th
website: www.kku.ac.th

Partners

Yanyong Inmuong, Men Prachvuthy, Win Htut Aung, Saykham Voladet

Khon Kaen University, Royal University of Phnom Penh, National Economic Research Institute (Lao PDR), Asian Development Research Institute (Myanmar)