The Southern Agricultural Training Centre.

Korea-Laos partnership drives growth in southern farm incomes

The Republic of Korea and the Lao PDR have reached a significant milestone in agricultural cooperation, with a key development project in the southern provinces resulting in a substantial increase in average farm household incomes.
On March 20, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Laos, Jung Yung Soo, and Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Dr Linkham Douangsavanh, visited Pakxong district in Champasak province, together with local government officials, and Country Director of KOICA Mr Sung-soo Oh.
They attended the closing ceremony of the “Integrated Rural Development Project in Three Southern Provinces of the Lao PDR” and a seed donation ceremony for KOICA’s “Inclusive Business Solution Project”, held in collaboration with The KIBAN.
Supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) with a US$9 million investment from 2020 to 2026, the rural development project has successfully improved the quality of life for residents of 20 villages in Champasak, Salavan and Xekong provinces.
Over the five-year implementation period, the average farm household income in pilot villages surged from 58 million kip to 106 million kip. This progress was further stabilised by a 32.6 percent increase in Village Development Funds, establishing a sustainable financial cycle within local communities.
Beyond economic gains, the project has left a lasting institutional and social legacy. The formal handover of the Southern Agricultural Training Center marks a significant step, as the facility is expected to serve as a regional hub for agricultural technical innovation.
Furthermore, KOICA empowered the region’s social capital by training 3,500 rural women and youth leaders to sustain village development after the conclusion of external support. These efforts, alongside the construction of 100,400 square metres of rain-shield greenhouses, led to a 42 percent rise in farming productivity.
In a simultaneous effort to enhance agricultural self-reliance, KOICA donated 1,762.5kg of high-quality vegetable seeds—including chilli, tomato, and cabbage—to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment as part of an IBS project in partnership with the Korean firm ‘The KIBAN’.  Since 2020, approximately US$1.95 million has been invested in this initiative to stabilise the national seed supply and transfer high-value cultivation techniques to local farmers.
Ambassador Jung Yung Soo observed that the project directly supports the 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan goal to build a self-reliant economy.
He reaffirmed Korea’s commitment under the 2026 Comprehensive Partnership to stand by Laos as it moves toward its next milestone of development.
Minister Linkham Douangsavanh expressed gratitude for Korea’s assistance, which drove growth through essential infrastructure such as water supply systems and community markets. This support has brought sustainable income increases and stable employment for local residents, he said.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update March 24, 2026)

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update March 25, 2026 )