Lao People's Democratic Republic : Northern Smallholder Livestock Commercialization Project

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Agricultural policy, institutional and capacity development - Livestock - Rural market infrastructure

Increased incomes for smallholder livestock producers in the project areas.

Increased livestock sales from sustainable smallholder production in the project areas.

1. Strengthened capacities of smallholders and other livestock value chain actors.

2. Livestock value chain infrastructure strengthened

3. Capacity to access credit improved

4. Project management enhanced

1. Supported for the first 57 LPMGs in developing production plans, documentation of the seven livestock production models has been finalized. Group support training conducted. Coaching in developing the LPMGs production plans provided.

2. Assisted LPMG to obtain needed equipment and materials to improve production, and for demonstration and training, construct or improve slaughtering and meat processing facilities and provincial district market.

3. Recovery of delinquent former LDP loans is going on and anticipate to complete within 70 months.

4. The implementation of 2018 annual work plan is on-going, recruitment of some consultants have been delayed.

Improvements in meat production, slaughtering, processing, and vending practices and infrastructure will have positive environmental impacts.

Additional training will be provided for NPMO and provincial project management office safeguard staff. The environmental assessment and review framework and list of responsibilities for environmental management will guide the government in carrying out an appropriate environmental assessment and taking corresponding measures to deal with potential environmental impacts. Environmental management plans will be prepared during project implementation when specific sites and designs are refined and confirmed.

Project activities will not cause involuntary changes in ethnic groups' livelihood systems, cultural practices, ancestral domains, food production

practices, or cultural cohesion; or unwanted dependence on external market forces. They will not lead to exclusion of any ethnic group. Possible negative impacts will be avoided if possible or will be compensated accordingly. Impacts are expected to be overwhelmingly positive since activities are for the economic and social improvement of the total population. Specific measures to deal with potential negative impacts and to encourage participation and contribution of ethnic groups require customized approaches and interventions. An ethnic group development framework agreed upon by the government and ADB was prepared and resources allocated for its implementation to guide the preparation of an ethnic group plan for potential category B subprojects based on ADB's Safeguard Policy Statement (2009). The executing

and implementing agencies are experienced in carrying out such plans. No plans were prepared during the project preparatory technical assistance as specific project sites had not been confirmed. ADB will approve and monitor the plans before a subproject is implemented.