SUPA Component 1 to support Lao PDR its sustainable management of peatlands

Author: GIZ  |   April 13, 2021  |   Initiatives

Sustainable Use of Peatland and Haze Mitigation in ASEAN (SUPA) Component 1 Work area 2 supports state actors in the ASEAN Member States (AMS) via funds in the implementation of the ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy (APMS) and National Action Plans on Peatland (NAPPs). The funds will be allocated to AMS, except Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, through a restricted call for proposals. 

In January 2021, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), signed a Financing Agreement with GIZ for €731,999.34 of SUPA funds, on behalf of the Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Lao PDR, to implement the project: Enhancing knowledge and institutional capacity for sustainable management of peatlands in Champasak and Vientiane Provinces.

Peatlands remain invisible on policy, planning and natural resource management frameworks in Lao PDR. There is a general lack of understanding of the nature and extent of peatland distribution in the country. It makes peatlands particularly vulnerable to degradation and potential loss. Peatland areas in Lao PDR have been estimated at 19,100 ha, however, it is unclear how this estimate was derived. Currently, there are less than 700 ha of peatlands that have been confirmed and reported, and more than 800 ha identified as potential peatlands require further survey.

One major focus of the project is to survey an additional 600 ha of peatlands across two provinces, contributing to a national inventory and map of peatland distribution for Lao PDR. In addition, the project will support technical capacity improvement across the relevant government agencies regarding the management of peatlands. The project will also demonstrate best management practices in sustainable use of peatland resources by supporting alternative livelihood options in five local communities.

On 9 April 2021, the inception workshop of the project was organized in Vientiane and attended by relevant officers from Department of Water Resources and IUCN. The planned activities under the project were clarified in the workshop.

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