The work of a private company in Lao PDR to develop agroforestry plantations that actively engage local communities is the topic of a post on the blog of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

Tony Bartlett, ACIAR’s Research Program Manager for Forestry, describes how Burapha Agroforestry Ltd focuses primarily on Eucalypt and Acacia species but also grows Teak. They plan to increase their current area under plantation from 6,000 hectares to 60,000 hectares, primarily in southern Laos.

The company rents land from households or the village community over a 30-year period. While the company owns the trees that are planted, the farmers receive benefits such as income from managing plantation, having their land cleared and ploughed, access to processing for crops such as cassava and marketing assistance.

Under the model, trees are planted in rows among crops such as rice or cassava and grown on a 7-year rotation. Harvested small diameter eucalypt logs are used to make value-added wood products at Burapha Agroforestry’s sawmill and manufacturing factory near Vientiane, with products sold through local international markets.

“In Lao PDR, two thirds of households earn less than US$4,380 per year, writes Bartlett. It is estimated that through this agroforestry model, participating families will on average earn an additional US $4,800 per year.

Read the full story: Private sector agroforestry: enhancing farmers livelihoods