Denmark-backed livestock project launched in northern Laos

CARE Denmark is supporting a new initiative to strengthen livestock systems and improve rural livelihoods in northern Laos, in partnership with CARE International in Laos, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and Lao agritech company AgCoTech.

The Enhancing the Commercial Paravet Project (ECPPL) was launched on 17 October 2025 through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Luang Prabang between Mrs Keoamphone Souvannaphoum, Country Director of CARE International in Laos, and Dr Saykham Souksanith, Deputy Director of the Luang Prabang Provincial Agriculture and Environment Office.

Funded by CARE Denmark and AgCoTech, the project aims to help smallholder farmers in Pakxeng district develop more resilient and profitable livestock systems. It will introduce a commercial veterinary service model and a gender-inclusive training programme for both male and female paravets, improving animal health, income, and food security.

“The ECPPL project is a powerful example of integrated solutions – enhancing food security, improving livelihoods, and addressing environmental challenges,” said Mrs Keoamphone. “By prioritising a gender-inclusive approach, we ensure that women, who are central to the livestock system, gain the skills and income needed to build household resilience.”

The initiative also supports the generation of Verified Carbon Units (VCUs), linking improved livestock management to global carbon reduction efforts — an approach aligned with Denmark’s emphasis on climate-smart and inclusive development cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Operating across 26 villages in Pakxeng district until December 2026, the project is expected to directly benefit over 14,000 people, including more than 7,000 women, and indirectly another 9,800 people.

Dr Saykham said the project marks “a crucial step toward enhancing the capacity of our agricultural sector” and welcomed Denmark’s continued support for Laos’ rural development.

Source: Vientiane Times