DPMM AIT kicks off a collaborative research initiative to enhance climate resilience of agricultural livelihoods in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR.
Asian Institute of Technology is partnering with the National University of Laos (NUOL), and Kasetsart University on the project titled “Strengthening Climate Resilience of Agricultural Livelihoods in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR through Participatory Ecosystem-based Adaptation”. The project team undertook several activities during the Inception phase, including holding an Inception Meeting and conducting a field visit on the 3rd and 4th September 2024 respectively.
On 3rd September, a project Inception Meeting was organized in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR bringing together the project team along with provincial and district stakeholders. This meeting served as a formal event to establish a strong local multi-stakeholder partnership and to officially kick off the project’s activities. More than 20 key stakeholders attended the meeting, representing the government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), women union, and organization for persons with disabilities (OPDs) from various sectors, including administration, natural resource management, agriculture, and forestry.
The Inception Meeting allowed the project team to sensitize stakeholders and boundary partners about the implementation of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) measures to enhance the resilience of livelihoods to climate change and climate-induced hazards. The Meeting was formally opened by Assoc. Prof. Kaisone Phengsopha, Dean of Faculty of Environmental Science, NUOL. Dr. Phengsopha underlined how the project can play a part in enhancing the resilience of communities via ecosystem-based adaptations in Savannakhet Province and encouraged collaboration among the stakeholders.
Dr. Indrajit Pal, the Principal Investigator of the Project; and Chair and Assoc. Professor of Disaster Preparedness, Mitigation and Management (DPMM) AIT, noted in his remarks that this pilot study aims to enhance the resilience of the agricultural communities to the impacts of climate change through policy interventions. Dr. Pal is optimistic about positive collaboration with local stakeholders to achieve the project’s aims.
During the meeting, the project team delivered presentations on the key challenges affecting the agricultural livelihoods in Lao PDR, with a specific focus on Savannakhet Province. The team outlined the project’s strategic approach to addressing these challenges, emphasizing the identification of entry points for intervention. This included the recognition of potential, preferred, and practiced Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) measures within the province. Additionally, the team elaborated on how Gender, Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) principles have been integrated into the project to promote inclusive and equitable
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