7 December 2012
Australian aid supports research on engaging farmers in the delivery of Environmental Services
The Australian Government, through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), is providing US$ 1.3million funding support towards a new research project examining how best to deliver payments to farmers for environmental services in Lao PDR".
Speaking at the project inception workshop in Vientiane on 4 December 2012, the Australian Ambassador to Lao PDR, Ms Lynda Worthaisong, reaffirmed the Australian Government's commitment to supporting agricultural research in Lao PDR through ACIAR. "This project will help develop practical methodologies for payments for environmental services, which is of high priority for the Government of Lao PDR as well as internationally," said Ms Worthaisong.
The new four year project will involve scientists from the Australian National University, the University of Western Australia and the National University of Laos, with additional involvement from staff of the Department of Natural Resources Management and the Department of Forestry.
Associate Professor Somchit Souksavath, the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Management welcomed the participants at the inception meeting and indicated that his Faculty was very pleased to be hosting this new project because it would help build the capacity of Faculty staff to undertake research on payments for environmental services.
ACIAR's Forestry Research Program Manager, Mr Tony Bartlett, said this project is one of three forestry research projects funded by ACIAR in Lao PDR. He considered this to be a flagship project in addressing the important issue of how to provide appropriate payments to farmers for changing their land management practices. Encouraging this change can improve environmental services such as water quality in catchments or protection of habitat for biodiversity.
The project leader, Professor Jeff Bennett from the Australian National University, said that two important features of this project would be the development of case studies and facilitating collaboration across the Mekong Region between scientists working on systems for payments for environmental services.
For more information please contact:
Australian Embassy
Vientiane
Tel.: +856 21 353800