VIENTIANE : South Korea’s Ministry of Education is providing US$1,785,714 for a Livestock Department remodelling project with a view to setting up a dairy course.

Seoul National University will donate another US$333,361 to the project which will be carried out over seven years, starting from this year.

Officials from the Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos (NUOL), and the Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology, Seoul National University (GSIAT-Korea), last week signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the remodelling project.

The participating entities comprise the Faculty of Agriculture, Seoul National University, Hankyong National University, and Milk for Lao.

The aim of the project is to create a livestock course and strengthen dairy farming in Laos, raising it to international standards and allowing development of a flourishing livestock industry.

Trainees will learn about dairy cattle farming and Lao farmers raising cattle will be encouraged to form a cooperative. The project is seen as an important boost in dairy cattle farming and the scaling up of what is currently a small-scale operation in Laos.

The remodelling project will develop the dairy industry in a sustainable way and produce good quality milk for public consumption. The project will also create jobs for local people.

The Memorandum of Agreement was signed by the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Dr Vannaphone Phutthana, and a representative of GSIAT-Korea and Manager of the Livestock Department remodelling project, Professor Kyoung Hoon Kim.

The signing was witnessed by Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Kingmano Phommahaxay; Ambassador of South Korea to Laos, Jung Yung Soo; Dean of GSIAT-Korea, Seoul National University, Kim Ju Kon; and other officials from the two sides.

Kingmano said the Lao government hopes to develop agriculture on a large scale so that agricultural produce and livestock can be produced for export to China.

As Laos lacks people trained in livestock farming, the government is keen for experienced personnel from South Korea to train up Lao officials and farmers so that the industry can be developed on a commercial basis.

NUOL’s Faculty of Agriculture and Seoul National University first began exploring the possibility of partnering in dairy farming eight years ago. In 2015, the two educational institutions formed a partnership to encourage more Lao children to drink milk.

But Laos’ dairy industry was too small scale to be able to produce sufficient quantities of milk for sale to markets. Due to the lack of know-how around dairy farming, all of the milk consumed in Laos is imported.

Seoul National University and local authorities in Laos will now work together to develop agriculture in Laos, with the Korean university providing specialists to advance dairy farming and train Lao nationals in this line of work.

  - ANN