Breaking the Cycles of Land Degradation: A Case Study from Ban Lak Sip, Laos

Abstract

"Around the world, intensive farming in fragile environments is taking its toll on natural resources. This has led to greater awareness of the need to use agricultural land sustainably to maximize yields without compromising the health and productivity of the soil. Laos' current rural-development and land-use policies were influenced in part by exactly such an environmental agenda. However, a recent study has shown that land degradation has actually increased in the village of Ban Lak Sip since these policies were put in place."