Laos: Research on the impacts of rubber plantations

A research project was carried out in Laos to evaluate the economic, social and ecological impacts of large-scale land concessions to plant rubber and for making recommendations for the future management of land in Lao PDR. Two provinces were selected in the south of Laos (Champassak and Salavane), to conduct research over the course of one year from July 2007 to July 2008.

The project was carried out jointly between the Centre for Research and Information on Land and Natural Resources of the National Land Management Authority, Office of Prime Minister (Laos), the Foundation for Ecological Recovery, and the Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University (Thailand).

The research has been finalized, but the official publication of the Summary Report is pending as it is waiting for the approval of the National Land Management Authority. The latest version was presented to the Centre for Research and Information on Land and Natural Resources in September 2009, which was relatively late for the study’s findings. 

On the strong presumption that, by the time the publication is approved, the findings may be essentially outdated and fail to reflect the current situation, the Foundation for Ecological Recovery, as co-researcher, would like to make the latest version of the report unofficially available via websites for interested people.

Given the importance of this research, WRM has posted the report in its website, available in English at: http://www.wrm.org.uy/countries/Laos/RubberSummaryReport.pdf