The 26th May 2020 witnessed the Project Launch workshop for the Laos Customary Tenure workstream.
The event, which took place in Thakhek, Khammouane Province was attended by 50 people representing Ministry of Natural Resources (MoNRE), Ministry of Agriculture and Forest (MAF), Department of Land, Department of Agricultural Land Management (DALaM), Department of Forestry, Lao Front for National Development, Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment, Provincial Agriculture and Forest Office, District Office of Natural Resources, District Agriculture and Forest Office, other district government officials as well as Land Women’s Union and GIZ. The event was chaired by Mr. Bounmy Phimmasone, the vice governor of Khammouane province.
The launch workshop represents the culmination of efforts by MRLG and MONRE (Department of Lands) to establish a workstream that will examine the practical application of articles appearing in the new Forest and Land Laws in so far as they relate to people living in and utilising the resources of the three forest categories.
The work will initially focus on 6 villages; 2 from each of the forest categories, which is located in 3 districts of Khammouane province and to be expanded to cover 17 villages.
These pilot implementations will serve purpose in determining the practicalities of applying the new laws, supporting MRLG’s overarching objective of providing smallholder tenure security as well as feeding into the Government of Laos broader strategic priority of having the whole country titled by 2025.
The launch event was followed by a visit to Viengthong Village in Hinboun District site of the first pilot project activity.
Further updates on progress will appear in MRLG newsletter and as well as our website.
