Abstract
More than half of the population of Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) is engaged in agriculture. The Lao government designates and prioritizes cash crops like cassava and others with high export, rural development, and food security potential. Cassava plantations cover more than 100,000ha and are steadily expanding, and in 2020, smallholder cassava farmers generated more than US$225 million. This chapter discusses factors that influence Lao farmers' participation in the cassava value chain. The Lao cassava value chain consists of cassava cultivation, processing, and marketing of cassava at different scales. Most households engaged in the cassava value chain in Lao PDR enjoy direct and indirect economic benefits, such as improved household income, living conditions, and educational opportunities among others. Factors driving Lao farmers' engagement with cassava value chains include several socio-economic factors like the age of the household head, level of education, and income level. However, there is a need for policy support to sustain actual and potential benefits and encourage greater engagement with cassava value chains. Relevant policies should include farmers' training to enhance productivity, favorable price policies and subsidies, infrastructure improvements, and government intervention in the cassava supply chain to enhance the participation of farmers.
Published Version
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