Author : Khamphout Phandanouvong

Summary : Agroforestry is a general concept for a land management system combining trees and agriculture crops or livestock and it is being practiced in a number of ways or techniques. Each of these techniques is adjusted to a specific set of socio-economic factors. Agroforestry cultivators or managers belonging to varying social strata and institutional grouping may practice different forms of Agroforestry, even within the same general region. Agroforestry is a traditional practice in almost all of Asia. It has been practiced in Laos for hundreds of years. However, it has not been organized and managed in a systematic and scientific manner. this study evaluated the agroforestry practices in two villages in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The objectives of the study were (1) to describe some agroforestry practices being practised in the two villages, in Vientiane Province, LAos and (2) to examine the bio-physical and socio-economic aspects in relation to agroforestry practices in the two villages. The study described some general structural and functional characteristics of traditional agroforestry systems practised by the two communities in the villegas. These systems include rice cultivation, home garden, livestock grazing, shifting cultivation and off-farm activities.