What more can the government do to help farmers?

The fuel shortage and the high price of fertiliser are creating serious problems for Lao farmers, who have called on the government to take urgent action to resolve the crisis. Farmers are concerned that if this situation continues, next year’s harvest will be insufficient. Vientiane Times asked for people’s thoughts on what the government could do to ease farmers’ woes.

Mr Khamphui, a farmer in Vientiane province: Crop cultivation is problematic this year because of the fuel crisis and the high cost of fertiliser, both of which are having serious consequences for farmers. In the rainy season it’s difficult to grow crops without a greenhouse and it’s also hard to get the materials we need to make good compost. Sometimes we have to use chemical fertiliser on our crops but the cost has risen so high that it’s bumping up production costs. This means we have to increase the sale price of our produce. Many people complain that the price of fresh produce these days is very high. I’d like to let people know that we don’t want to raise the price but are forced to do so for several reasons. It would be good if the government can resolve the problems we are facing as soon as possible so that everything can return to normal.
 
Mr Noy Sinthana, a resident of Luang Prabang province: I know the fuel shortage is a big problem for the government but they must have seen it coming when foreign currency reserves dwindled. Of course, it’s not an easy problem to solve in the short term. Nevertheless, the authorities should support farmers, because food security is important. I’m afraid that the fuel shortage could result in a lack of rice and other crops for people to eat and farmers to sell. I urge everyone to be frugal in their use of fuel and not to travel unnecessarily, so that enough reserves of petrol are available for farmers.
 
Ms Phimsouda, a government official in Xaythany district, Vientiane: In my view, one of the most important things the government needs to do is to help farmers increase productivity and profitability. The government should provide more financial support, encourage crop cultivation in polytunnels, and set up more organic farming. The authorities need to educate farmers about the correct use of agrochemicals, which are vital to protect crops and maximise yields. The government also needs to involve the private sector and work in partnership to train farmers about good agricultural practices. If this can be done, more crops will be grown so that imports can be reduced and Laos achieves food security.
 
Ms Bounma Phanthavong, a resident of Naxaithong district, Vientiane: The price of agricultural produce on sale in markets has risen markedly, even when vegetables are grown in Laos. As we know, farming is very difficult right now because there are so many problems and on top of that it’s the rainy season. Farmers tend to be poorly informed about efficient cultivation and harvesting methods and can’t afford to buy modern equipment or apply new technology. So supplies of fruit and vegetables aren’t always adequate for market needs, especially organic vegetables. It’s possible that, because fertiliser is so expensive now, more people will switch to organic farming. The relevant government bodies should give farmers more information and encourage them to move to organic methods of cultivation.  

By Lamphone Pasanthong
(Latest Update June 10, 2022)