Successfull closing of the III. Agricultural TAL Program in Laos
- Posted by Vitafort
- On 2023-11-06
The 3rd agricultural tied aid loan program in Laos was successfully concluded
The program, which started in 2018, was originally planned to end on December 31, 2021, but the COVID epidemic slowed down the implementation, so with the agreement of the Hungarian and Lao parties, the relevant contracts was amended. Accordingly, the program was finally closed on August 31, 2023. Prior to the financial closure of the program, the Final Review Meeting was held in Vientiane on July 27, 2023, chaired by Dr. Phet Phomphiphak, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos, and Dr. Sándor Sipos, Ambassador of Hungary to Bangkok. The closing meeting was also attended by Hungarian and Lao institutions and enterprises implementing the project activities and making use of the results, as well as state bodies responsible for the development of the Lao agricultural and food industry and representatives of the target provinces.
At the closing meeting, Dr. László Váradi, Director General of Vitafort Agro Ázsia Zrt. (VAA), the main contractor of the 3rd Agricultural Tied Aid Loan (TAL) program gave an overview of the Hungarian-Laos agricultural relations, showing how the Hungarian TAL programs contributed to the development of the Lao agricultural sector. Project manager Dr. István Lénárt (VAA) presented the 3rd agricultural tied aid loan program implemented with Hungarian assistance, as well as its main results. Although the 3rd agricultural TAL program has ended, the Hungarian Lao agricultural cooperation continues, the possibilities of which were presented by Dr. László Váradi. The presentations of the closing meeting are available at the following links:
- Contribution of the Hungarian tied aid loan programs to agriculture development in Lao PDR, Dr. Laszlo Varadi, DG, VAA
- Outputs of the 3rd Hungarian agriculture tied aid loan program, Dr. Istvan Lenart, Project Manager, VAA
- Future perspectives and sustainability of the Hungarian TAL programs, Dr. Laszlo Varadi, DG, VAA
At the closing meeting, it was concluded that the complex program, which included seven plus one province, was implemented under very difficult conditions due to the COVID epidemic and the worldwide increase in the price of materials and services. Despite this, the program successfully met the set goals, which is due to the constructive cooperation of the Hungarian and Lao sides, the Vitafort Agro Ázsia Zrt. (VAA) and the Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DLF) of the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), as well as between the Hungarian and Lao institutions and enterprises participating in the implementation of the program.
Within the framework of the program, with the active participation of Hungarian and Lao small and medium-sized enterprises, model plants were built, the operation of which demonstrates the production and processing of meat and fish using modern technology, as well as the sales of certified products, which provide opportunities for commercialization in agriculture. With the use of new facilities and technologies, it is not only possible to supply the local population with healthy food and reduce imports, but also to take advantage of export opportunities. Focusing on the entire supply and value chain of meat and fish products, the project also shows an example of the possibilities of improving the supporting institutional, laboratory and legislative conditions.
A short video summarizing the activities and results of the project, in Lao language with English subtitles, was also made, which is available at the following link:
At the closing meeting, it was also concluded that the utilization of the results of the successful 3rd TAL program and the Lao agricultural development program implemented with Hungarian support since 2008, and ensuring their sustainability requires additional efforts primarily on the part of the Lao side. However, the VAA and its business- and institutional partners are ready for further cooperation with Lao partners. The exploration of these opportunities and the preparation of new projects have already begun.
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