Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr Lien Thikeo reported the information to lawmakers at the 8th session of the National Assembly (NA)\u2019s 8th legislature last week.\u00a0He said widespread\u00a0flooding combined with water\u00a0supply problems had forced the ministry to downgrade the rice production forecast from 4.4 million to 3.5 million tonnes.\u00a0Dr Lien pointed out that the 105,206 hectares of rice\u00a0lost to flooding equated to 13 per cent of the total 770,279 hectares under cultivation\u00a0across the country.\u00a0The ministry expects\u00a0to lose 456,500 tonnes of the anticipated rice harvest. Savannakhet was the worst\u00a0affected province, suffering\u00a0damage to 40,534 hectares of\u00a0rice.\u00a0Some areas also suffered\u00a0from water shortages or were devastated by insect infestations which damaged 1,200 hectares of crops.\u00a0Some 497 of the country\u2019s irrigation systems have\u00a0been severely affected this\u00a0year with Saravan province hardest hit as 118 projects\u00a0suffered flood damage.<\/p>\n
However, the ministry will accelerate efforts to renovate irrigation schemes and encourage farmers to grow more rice in the dry season from November to April. The goal is to have 900,000 hectares under cultivation and to increase next rainy season\u2019s yield.\u00a0Authorities will assist farmers to increase yields and the country is aiming for exports worth US$1.2 billion next year.\u00a0The ministry will utilise 352.9 billion kip of the government budget to contribute to 288 projects, especially the provision of rice seed and seeds for other crops, along with equipment, vaccines, and insecticides.<\/p>\n
Environmental experts predict that climate change will bring increasingly severe drought and flood conditions to Laos, with crop yields possibly falling 10 per cent by 2020 and 30 per cent by 2050.\u00a0This could further affect\u00a0food security improvement measures, which the government is working on with its agencies and non- governmental organisations.<\/p>\n