Wravong Phrachanh
Wravong Phrachanh has loved drawing and cartoons since she was young. Over the years, she has developed her artistic skills and continued creating and sharing her work through her page, This is WRA. Her contribution to the Herbarium of Non-Timber Forest Products of Lao PDR opened a new chapter in her creative journey. For the […]
Fishes Photo Book for Fish Abundance and Diversity Monitoring In Lower Mekong Basin
This photo book features 564 fish species consisting of 20 exotic species, recorded by fishermen using various types of fishing gear across multiple locations. To enhance identification accuracy, the book also compares species with similar characteristics found in the Lower Mekong Basin. The primary aim of this photo book is to assist riparian fish researchers […]
Peter Brakels
Peter Brakels is the Species & Protected Area Programme Coordinator at IUCN Laos. His work focuses on biodiversity conservation, species monitoring, and the identification, evaluation, and effective management of protected and conserved areas. Peter works closely with government agencies, NGOs, local communities, private companies, and universities to support conservation planning, field research, and knowledge sharing. […]
Phaivanh Sixaiyavong (Tou Kood)
After years in the steel construction industry, Phaivanh Sixaiyavong (known as Tou Kood) shifted to agriculture when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his business. Despite having no prior farming experience, he taught himself coconut cultivation through online research and hands-on experimentation. However, he soon faced challenges in marketing his raw produce. To add value to his […]
Community fisheries in Lao PDR : a survey of techniques and issues
The fishing techniques which can be found in Laos provide a good illustration of the principle that culture is not a static museum display but a living, evolving aspect of everyday life. In virtually every part of the country new gears are being developed or adopted and old gears are being abandoned or modified to […]
Mr. Khamphou Phanthaboun
Mr. Khamphou Phanthaboun began his journey in organic farming with no training. Like many farmers, he relied on traditional farming practices and learned through experience. In 2004-2005, with support from the Helvetas organic agriculture project, Mr. Khamphou established a organic garden at his home. Through hands-on learning and continuous practice, he developed skills in organic […]
Bounpasakxay Khamphoumy (Kop)
Bounpasakxay Khamphoumy is a Lao forestry researcher and silviculture specialist with more than 20 years of experience in sustainable forest management, reforestation, and biodiversity conservation. He previously worked at the Forestry Research Center of the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI) and currently serves as a Technical Officer in the Protected Area Management Division […]
Wild Foods and Nutrition: Iron
Wild plants like moringa, water spinach, bamboo shoots, and wild mushrooms, as well as animals like snails, crickets, and small fish, provide iron that helps keep your blood and body healthy. In the next pages, you will find a selection of wild food species and a few recipes showing how you can prepare them.
Wild Foods and Nutrition: Vitamin A
Wild food species also provide vitamin A. Wild plants like yanang, climbing wattle, balsam apples, spiny amaranth, and Asiatic pennywort are rich in beta carotene, which the body can convert to Vitamin A. Eating these traditional foods helps families stay healthy. In the next pages, you will find a selection of wild food species and […]
Bounchanh Mekaloun
Bounchanh Mekaloun, Deputy Head of the Forest Research Center at the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI), says that forests are far more than landscapes: they are living sources of food, health, and opportunity. After graduating from the Faculty of Forestry in Vietnam, he returned to Laos equipped not only with academic knowledge but […]
