Northern Rural Infrastructure Development Sector Project

Agricultural policy development is one of the ongoing challenges faced by the Government in Lao PDR as it seeks to implement its Agricultural Development Strategy Vision to the year 2020 while being exposed to the influence of external influences from the ever increasing globalization of economic trade zones, increased connectivity through transport routes within the GMS, and increasing pressure on land resources for foreign direct investment and contract farming that can lead to unsustainable agricultural practices. The policy environment must therefore deal with the potential for rapid change in the agriculture and natural resource base. This is further complicated by both mineral and hydro-electric power potential that is progressively being explored in the northern part of Lao PDR. The Government has expressed a desire to have access to specialist services in the field of policy development to assist the interpretation of an improving level of research being generated within its Policy Research Institute based in NAFRI to better appreciate the implications of this dynamic environment and to maintain the direction of the Government’s committed direction for development. While the exact topic of expertise is yet to be identified, the proposed Project has resources allocated to provide approximately nine person-months of expertise to be recruited by the NPMO as part of the grant implementation consulting services contract. Main tasks for the policy specialist include: Review the performance of the sector as it relates to the topics determined by the Government; Review the various strategic development documents of the Government and other related agencies; Carry out research based on data provided by the Policy Research Institute of NAFRI and other policy research institutions as appropriate within Lao PDR Compare the direction of policy development in the nominated area in neighboring countries; Proposed recommendations to the Government on proposed policy changes; and Support the proposed changes with a rationale for change in view of the current dynamic changes taking place in Lao PDR.