Rural Livelihoods Improvement Programme in Attapeu and Sayabouri

The programme targets three districts in Attapeu and five districts in Sayabouri, all of which are poor or extremely poor. Most farmers keep livestock and practise subsistence agriculture, cultivating rice and some other crops such as maize and sesame. Landholdings are too small to be adequately productive. Communities lack infrastructure such as drinking water supplies, schools, health services and access roads.

The programme works towards the sustained improvement of livelihoods among poor households and communities, and particularly targets women and marginalized groups in poor villages in the uplands and in resettled or merged villages in the lowlands. Its objectives are to improve food security, basic education, health services and road access. Activities include:

• strengthening village institutions
• introducing new farming technologies and crop diversification, and improving livestock health care
• supporting the development of off-farm income generation, small enterprises and market linkages
• setting up village-based savings and credit societies
• introducing measures for natural resource management, such as zoning and land-use planning

Source: IFAD