Laos - Lao officials urged to help villagers boost trade

Lao President Choummaly Sayasone has urged local authorities in Vientiane province to actively lead local people in undertaking commercial ventures, so they can find their way out of poverty.

The president was speaking during a visit to zones targeted by the government for development in Xaysomboun district, while assessing the progress of political grass-roots building in these areas.

President Choummaly said the growing of crops and livestock rearing should tie in with local needs. He identified potential growth areas as the growing of grass for cattle, raising pigs, and the cultivation of sago palms.

He noted that some families grow sago to sell to businesses and earn 14 or 15 million kip (US$1,750-1,870) per season, thereby boosting their income and easing their poverty.

Choummaly told local authorities that most people grow only sufficient crops to meet the needs of their family, and said this situation should change.

He urged authorities to encourage villagers to boost their crop yields through the use of new technologies so they could produce a surplus for market sale.

In recent years, the government has budgeted for more officials to work in rural areas in a bid to reduce poverty, but these efforts have met with little success.

One of the main problems is the shortage of officials qualified to advise villagers on growing crops and raising animals for market sale.

The lack of roads is another problem hindering efforts to lower poverty levels. In addition, many schools don't have sufficient teachers and some hospitals have enough doctors but can't afford to buy medicines.

The Lao People's Revolutionary Party has set a goal to reduce the number of poor families to 10 per cent of the total by 2015.

To meet this goal, local authorities have asked the government to provide 7.38 trillion kip (US$920 million) so they can carry out various development projects.

The government has prioritised 64 focus areas where it has committed the most funding and personnel to help reduce poverty.

The number of poor families in Laos has now fallen to 18.96 per cent, but all sectors need to pull together to ensure the government's projects are accomplished and poverty reduction goals are met by 2015.

News Desk

Vientiane Times

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