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Promoting Agricultural Entrepreneurship in Laos

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Promoting Agricultural Entrepreneurship in Laos Focus Promoting agricultural entrepreneurship in Laos Rural advisory services cannot (and should not) tell young people what to do; but they can point to options and then support them in implementing the paths they themselves have chosen. One of these paths is agricultural entrepreneurship – a very young concept for Laos. Our authors give an account of initial experiences. The national census for Laos shows that approximately one million people between the ages of 15 and 24 live in rural areas. Representing roughly 15 per cent of the total population of this land-locked country in South East Asia, rural youth are crucial to the future of agriculture, but mostly ig- nored by development programmes. The rapid transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture in Laos has been accompanied by increased con- nectivity (e.g. roads, phones, social media), which has brought both op- portunities and problems for young people. Compared to their parents, rural youth are better informed, in- creasingly mobile, and have access to a wider range of products. But they The participants of the competition are also more exposed to the threat of presenting their prototypes. trafficking, drugs, and debt, and are Photo: Andrew Bartlett more likely to leave the village. The Lao Upland Rural Advisory Ser- work, with uncertain returns. They see far more precarious forms of employ- vice (LURAS) is a Swiss-funded pro- themselves as having low social status ment such as unskilled labourers on gramme implemented by Helvetas and few opportunities for advance- plantations, in construction and facto- and the Department of Agricultural ment. The lack among villagers of ries, or in parts of the service sector. Extension and Cooperatives. In 2015, self-esteem or a positive vision for the If work is not available in Laos, young LURAS carried out focus group discus- future of farming is worrying regard- people often seek employment across sions as part of baseline studies in a ing agricultural development efforts the border in Thailand. number of mountainous villages. In in Laos. However, the LURAS study all locations, parents said they did also finds that most farmers in the up- not want their children to continue lands now want to send their children The aspirations of the young in farming. Villagers repeatedly stat- to school, which was not the case a generation count ed that farming was hard and dirty few years ago. Parents see that the value of education is to ensure that The future of smallholder farming children can get a job outside of the and the economy of the Lao uplands village and send money back home. depends on the options open to ru- ral youth. Development programmes Andrew Bartlett, Lao Upland Rural Children share the aspirations of such as LURAS cannot stop the tide of Advisory Service (LURAS) their parents. As part of a recent doc- young people leaving rural areas, but Soutthida Moungkhounsavath umentary supported by LURAS, in- they can help ensure that sufficient Support to the Reform of the Northern terviews were conducted with young numbers remain with the skills and Agriculture and Forestry College people across the country. Nearly all motivation crucial to the long-term (SURAFCO) of them would like to get jobs with viability of smallholder farming and a Buakhai Phimmavong, Enterprise the government (army, teachers, of- healthy rural economy. Development Consultants (EDC) ficials, etc.), which is seen as a secure Vientiane, Lao PDR source of income. However, in reality, Evidence suggests that the children Contact: [email protected] most of them are likely to end up in of farmers in the uplands of Laos want 32 Rural 21 – 03/2017 Focus to escape drudgery, earn cash and develop prototypes of new products about promoting agricultural entre- get access to the products of a mod- in a relatively risk-free environment. preneurship among young people: ern life. And like all young people, With this in mind, LURAS joined forc- they also want greater independence, es with other organisations in 2016 The reason young people move self-respect and a chance to do some- to launch the AGREE scheme at the out of rural areas is related to the thing different from their parents. Northern Agriculture and Forestry Col- desire to secure an independent in- But should rural advisory services be lege (NAFC) in Luang Prabang. AGREE come. With money in their hands, helping young people become bet- stands for ‘Agripreneurs for Green young people can shape their own ter farmers, or should they be helping Rural Enterprises and Economy’. The lives in a way they could not if they them get out of farming? Perhaps the focus on green agribusiness reflects stayed on the family farm to pro- answer is to help them acquire knowl- the government’s policy of promoting vide unpaid labour. However, when edge and skills allowing them to make clean, safe and sustainable agriculture. income-generating opportunities better choices for themselves that are exist in rural areas they may prefer safe and decent, productive and re- In collaboration with the private to stay rather than migrate to the warding, wherever they decide to go. company Enterprise Development city or seek work overseas. Consultants (EDC), the first stage of Agricultural colleges provide a If government and the develop- the AGREE scheme was designed and ‘captive audience’ for introducing ment partners want to create a green managed as a competition between the concept of entrepreneurship to rural economy, agricultural develop- teams of students. This approach gen- a select group of rural youth, but it ment programmes will have to focus erated a high level of enthusiasm and remains to be seen how many stu- more on rural job creation and enter- creativity. And the fact that Helvetas dents will actually start their own prise development, and support ini- has for some years been supporting business after they graduate. Most tiatives that young people plan and capacity-building at the college meant students in formal education prefer manage themselves. This is a chal- that a critical mass of capable and will- a job in the public sector. lenging task, but for farming commu- ing teachers was already in place. The Helping young people become nities to remain a viable and vibrant competition started with proposals agripreneurs requires far more than part of Lao society, rural youth need from 52 teams, twelve of which were just a few training sessions. The local opportunities to earn money, be selected to attend a series of weekend learning process must involve prac- creative and enjoy themselves. workshops. Products developed by tice in planning and running a mi- the finalists included out-of-season cro-enterprise, with coaching from limes, frozen frogs’ legs, vermiculture people who have business experi- ‘Agripreneurship’ – a new idea compost, egg trays made from re- ence, which college teachers lack. for Laos cycled paper, ornamental plants and So partnerships with the private rice-fish farming. The winning team of sector have been essential. Micro- The agripreneur concept, bringing students received 800 US dollars for finance organisations, processing together farming and entrepreneur- developing a business plan and pro- companies, shopkeepers and the ship, has been part of agricultural totype for herbal tea made from the local chamber of commerce can all extension services in countries as di- flower of the butterfly pea (known as be involved. verse as Nepal, Nigeria and the USA dok angsan in the Lao language). Creativity is an essential part of for some years. The Global Forum entrepreneurship. Consequently, on Agricultural Research (GFAR) has However, the partner organisations learning activities must encourage been piloting a Young Agripreneurs face a tougher challenge in the sec- young people to think outside the Project (YAP). The Global Forum on ond stage of AGREE, during which box, to assess options and take Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) re- graduates are mentored while launch- risks. The AGREE scheme has been cently produced training modules on ing their business in the home local- successful in providing a framework agripreneurship. This is a very new ity. Small grants will certainly help get for creativity, partly because it was idea for Laos, where agribusiness is these agripreneurs started, but equal- organised as a team-based compe- dominated by petty traders and big ly important are partnerships with tition with financial incentives. investors, with very little happening in more experienced producers and pro- The biggest challenge for the the middle, where micro-enterprises cessors, and backstopping in the form AGREE partners is yet to come. could add value to local produce. LU- of an AGREE hotline and social media Can we provide the support young RAS staff believe that this is where the group. agripreneurs need after leaving the opportunities for rural youth lie. protective environment of the col- lege? We have lots of ideas – in- Agricultural colleges are an ideal What we are learning cluding social media groups, ‘agri- launch pad for students and graduates clinics’ and a survival guide – but seeking to develop their own agribusi- The AGREE scheme in Laos is little the hard work needs to be done by ness. These prospective agripreneurs more than a year old, but Helvetas has the agripreneurs themselves. Stay can learn about business planning and already learned some valuable lessons tuned! Rural 21 – 03/2017 33.
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