Re-strengthening coordination and engagement platform for evidence-based policy research in Lao PDR

Lao national policy researchers, international research partners, and in-country stakeholders from different agricultural development sectors discussed ways forward to implement evidence-based policy research during a consultation workshop on 11 October 2023 in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR.

The participants agreed to strengthen the research community led by the National Policy Think Tank (PTT) to effectively contribute to the agricultural development sector by providing research evidence and solutions to:

1. current crises and emergent issues, which matter for policy design and implementation.
2. promote agricultural goods and services commercialization, modernization, and integrated nutrition-sensitive and climate-adaptative efforts for a longer-term focus.
3. engagement of policymakers and implementers in different research processes and advocacy, especially on integrated water management.

The workshop was hosted by the National Agriculture and Forestry Institute (NAFRI) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), with technical and financial support from the CGIAR Research Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS) through the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and the International Potato Center (CIP).

The inter-organizational effort agreed upon was to restrengthen coordination, communication, and cooperation between the research and development community in the agricultural sector, which was disrupted during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreaks.

The consultation results were also contributed to and presented in the annual consultation meeting of the Sector Working Group on agricultural development by the Department of Planning and Cooperation (DOPC) of MAF on 1 November 2023 in Vientiane Capital.  The annual consultation workshop was hosted by the Department of Planning and Cooperation (DOPC) of MAF, as a platform for its sub-sector working groups to present their progress, achievements, and priorities.

Author:

NPS Laos communication team

This work is part of the CGIAR Research Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS). CGIAR launched NPS with national and international partners to build policy coherence, respond to policy demands and crises, and integrate policy tools at national and subnational levels in countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. CGIAR centers participating in NPS are The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (Alliance Bioversity-CIAT), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), International Potato Center (CIP), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and WorldFish. We would like to thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.