Key Trends from the 2006 country brief

• During 1998-2003, total agricultural researcher numbers in Laos rose steadily, while agricultural R&D expenditures contracted by half in constant prices during 1999–2003.
• The principal agricultural research agency, the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI) accounted for 90 percent of Laos’ agricultural R&D spending in 2003.
• NAFRI employed only a few scientists holding PhD degrees. However, researcher qualification levels are expected to rise because a large number of NAFRI researchers are currently undertaking PhD and MSc training abroad.
• Since its establishment in 1999, NAFRI has depended almost exclusively on donor support, with the result that its donor-driven research does not always contribute to Laos’ overall agricultural R&D needs.
• Private sector involvement in agricultural R&D is limited.

Laos