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Laos, ADB to enhance projects for environment, infrastructure and agriculture sector
The Lao government and the Asian Development Bank signed here yesterday three grant agreements on projects related to environment, infrastructure and agriculture sectors- all aligned with the government's development strategy to promote pro-poor sustainable growth, social inclusiveness and improved governance.
The three agreements amount to a total of USD21.68 million including USD20 million for Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Biodiversity Conservation Corridor Project, USD 1.2 million for a Project Preparing Technical Assistance (PPTA) to prepare a proposed USD20 million grant for Rural Access Improvement Project along the East-West Economic Corridor, and finally USD480,000 for Technical Assistance for Capacity Strengthening for Gender Mainstreaming in the Agriculture Sector.
The GMS Biodiversity Conservation Corridor Technical Assistance Project will focus on a community-based initiative to conserve and protect more than 600,000 ha of forestlands in Champassak, Attapeu and Sekong provinces, benefiting more than 4,000 households.
The project is part of the USD69 million GMS Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Project which covers Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam in providing a model for expanded and sustained local community participation in the conservation and management of biodiversity landscapes and protected forestland.
The first technical assistance grant is financed from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) to prepare and design a proposed USD20 million project that is aimed at improving the physical access from rural areas of Savannakhet province with of high agricultural potential in the East-West Economic Corridor and consequently the markets Laos and its neighbours.
The road access improvements will reduce transport costs and increase rural mobility surpluses, leading to increased economic growth. Under the proposed project, sustainable rural transport infrastructure with low operating and maintenance costs will be designed.
The second technical assistance grant, also from JFPR, aims at mainstreaming gender considerations in the agriculture sector. This technical assistance will support human resource and technical capacity development for gender-integrated planning, monitoring and evaluation.
These initiatives are aimed at integrating gender in the plans, programmes, and projects of Lao PDR's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The project will support the adoption of a gender-sensitive MAF strategy and MAF action plan, including the development of a management information system. Through capacity building of MAF provincial planners and staff, the project will pilot a model to integrate gender in plans and monitoring and evaluation systems in nine provinces.
All three projects mentioned are the key factors for Lao PDR economic development. They will actively contribute to the implementation of the 7 National Social Economic Development Plan, said Vice Minister of Finance, Ms. Viengthong Siphandone.
As a land link among GMS countries, Laos is a key participant in the sub-region's development programme, and ADB aims to maximise benefits from this cooperation. In tandem with the GMS Strategy, ADB will continue to foster connectivity, promote large-scale foreign direct investment and create regional public goods, said Chong Chi Nai, Country Director in ADB's Lao PDR Resident Mission.
Lao News Agency
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