Strengthening Livelihood Systems Project
in 3 districts in Xiengkhouang and 1 district in Huapanh Provinces
In Huapanh and Xiengkhouang provinces, poverty rates remain high, reaching 26% of the population in Xiengkhouang and 26.6% in Huapanh (LECS6, 2019). High malnutrition is also an issue, with 46.3% of the children under 5 suffering from stunting in Xiengkhouang and 40.3% in Huapanh province (LSIS, 2017). In rural areas of Laos, where Caritas works, people’s livelihoods are mostly agriculture-based. However, many factors ranging from crop and animal disease to limited access to markets and natural disasters put farmers in precarious living conditions. With the SLS2 project, Caritas Luxembourg will ensure families regain control over their lives by supporting agricultural and non-agricultural activities, including livestock raising, organic agriculture and handicraft. At the heart of the intervention lies a holistic approach addressing different areas of vulnerability, from livelihood diversification to access to essential services, passing by improved local governance
Objective:
The objective of the project is to increase human assets and contribute to food security
Expected results:
Result 1: Sources of income are diversified and resilient
Activities will focus on setting up village production groups and village funds in each of the target villages, and on providing technical trainings to beneficiaries. Women will benefit from a specific support scheme for developing their livelihoods. Strengthened handicraft, livestock raising and small-scale fisheries activities will foster food security and increase income generation at community level.
Result 2: Communities have improved their nutritional knowledge and improved hygiene and sanitation practices
Increasing household’s resilience and livelihoods is also closely linked to their access to health services, hygiene and sanitation. Therefore, under Result 2, the project will focus on strengthening health services for nutrition monitoring and improved Mother and Child Health. Access to clean water will be facilitated through construction of water systems. Improved nutrition will be fostered through the development of home and school gardens and the training of voluntaries on nutritious food cooking.
Result 3: Adoption of efficient agroecological farming practices by small scale farmers
The large majority of households rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. However, low productivity, limited access to irrigated land and limited access to market limit their revenues. Under result 3, the project will work with SAEDA on setting up farmer producer groups and training them on organic production practices. Irrigation schemes will be repaired or constructed to increase local rice production capacities.
Result 4: Communities sustainably manage their food production system
A strong food production system is linked to improved post-harvest techniques, development of quality control systems for production and market linkage. Therefore, under result 4, all producer groups will receive marketing trainings. The most efficient organic vegetable production groups will receive support to set-up quality control systems and obtain organic production certificates. Farmers organizations will be to ensure small-scale farmers raise their market power. The organic producer groups will receive support for improved post-harvest techniques to raise their selling prices and reduce post-harvest losses.
Result 5: A participative local governance supports community development
Finally, activities under result 5 are a key element of the sustainability approach of Caritas Luxembourg. By reinforcing villages’ governance through Village Development Committees and Plans, Caritas ensures that the Action’s outcomes are sustained and managed by communities over time, while ensuring that district and provincial authorities raise capacities and provide continuous support to communities
Project funded by:
