Laos expands rubber farming to support local livelihoods

VIENTIANE: Lao officials are partnering with a private rubber factory to promote rubber plantations, fostering the creation of green spaces and jobs that provide stable incomes, support family economies and help communities gradually rise out of poverty.

Authorities in northern Laos’ Bokeo province have approved a 30-year partnership agreement with the factory to promote plantations across 5,000 hectares of land in Paktha district, some 350 km north-west of the Lao capital Vientiane, Lao News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The factory will supply rubber seedlings and provide training on planting, maintenance and tapping techniques. Local farmers will be involved in land development and are expected to benefit through job creation and stable incomes, contributing to poverty reduction and improved household livelihoods.

The initiative aims to support socio-economic development with a strong emphasis on sustainability and environmental protection. Lao officials highlighted the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure the long-term success and equitable distribution of benefits.

Rubber cultivation is part of a broader strategy to promote industrial tree planting, expand green areas and establish farming as a viable and sustainable livelihood in the region.

Laos continues its efforts to combat poverty by improving rural living conditions and lifting communities out of hardship, with a strong emphasis on agricultural development.

By RSS/Xinhua