Representatives from the six REDD+ Technical Working Groups (TWGs), members of the Lao National REDD+ Office, technical advisers, REDD+ development partners, experts from the Center for International Forest Research (CIFOR) and officials from related divisions under the Department of Forestry (DoF), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) came together in Vangvieng between 1 and 3 February 2017. The workshop was designed to share international knowledge and experience on REDD+ benefit sharing and safeguards. The related REDD+ participants can learn from the examples and case studies to assist them in preparing suitable strategies and mechanism for Laos PDR’s context. The learning paves the way for the responsible teams to develop appropriate benefit-sharing and safeguard mechanisms. They will form part of the Lao PDR National REDD+ Strategy expected to be completed this year.
The 3-day gathering provided the opportunity for all REDD+ TWGs to review the National REDD+ strategy progress. The SESA team then presented their work to date on the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, key environmental and social issues, the “hotspots” identification as well as the planned methodology for the upcoming field consultations. Benefit sharing and safeguards are two key components of REDD+ program in Lao PDR. The two topics were at the center of discussion on the second and third days of the workshop. The participants learned from case studies presented by experts from the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), based in Bogor, Indonesia. They asked a number of important questions on how the presented mechanisms can be appropriately applied to Lao PDR.
It is expected that follow-up workshops will be necessary in order to consolidate the results from this meeting, and for the development of the strategy and mechanism to take shape.