Project Detail

Silk Products and Livelihood

Silkworms are the larva of a moth (Bombyx mori) native to Asia that spins a cocoon of fine, strong, lustrous fiber that is the source of commercial silk. The culture of silkworms is called sericulture. The various species of silkworms raised today are distinguished by the quality of the silk they produce. Silkworms feed on the leaves of the mulberries (genus Morus) and sometimes on the Osage orange (Maclura pomifera). In Lao PDR, Tai Phouan is one of majority population that conduct sericulture as main source of livelihood. Due to the modernization that pushes villages in rural Laos closer to urbanizing, sericulture has been replacing by intrial products. More Lao women apply imported materials to make thier unique and tradditional Lao Skirt which uses of silk thread as key component.

The project awarded in Anouxay village, Viengxay district of Houaphan province aims to sustain and promote the sericulture of indigenous Tai Phouan ethnic in order to recalled thier indigenous knowledge that tranfer through generations and encouraging silk products as major source of households' income that consequently, local population will slow downing the natural resources consuming. At the begining, project encouraged community members those are of most experienced in sericulture. Villagers here sell and use their silk thread and clothes generations for culture activities. Today, selling of silk is one of the most important source of income. However, event many quantities of silk thread and clothes are produced from this location but it has been proving that the industrialized materials that use artificial silk threads with the cheap price taking over day by day.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Anouxay Community (Samnaue Phamailaikhit-Natural Color Dye)

Country:

Lao

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

OP4 - Y3 (Jul 09 - Jun 10)

Grant Amount:

US$ 40,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 10,604.00

Project Number:

LAO/SGP/OP4/Y3/CORE/2010/18

Start Date:

12/2010

End Date:

4/2012

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Photo Gallery

NSC visited project members' mubery garden

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Project Characteristics and Results

Planning non gef grant

CDF under Ministry of Commerce visited SGP Office twice to discuss the posibility of continue funding and expanding learning. They also visited to project location and met community members

Notable Community Participation

Local authority particularly district level including: agriculture officers, trade officer, women union, tourism, Land & House office, water and environment and planning & investment officers joint the project apprise to begin project and survey of the social and economic people in the target villages share with the project team for survey and made plan before start activity

Gender Focus

Mostly of participants of this project are women, women in the north of Lao closely with sericulture and weaving this activity local women participant more than 90%. So, the income from activity help target group have more participate for alleviation poverty for their family.

Capacity - Building Component

Project organize study tour of the sericulture for target group particularly women visited sericulture group, process of mulberry planting and preservation, natural color dye and weaving in Xiengkhouan to review their innate experience and training project management for project committee to improve their knowledge.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

Project team are not clear rule of spending, so national coordinator had re-train to them many time while implement activity, some activities project team apply budget in admin to over on activities but spending under control of GEF coordinator and project committee have agree recruit finance officer to help . While GEF ?s budget late transfer project team borrow private money to conduct activity appropriate with product season.

Project sustainability

Project was totall manage and control by community representatives through community-based manner. The members are women in the village. However, the evaluation indicated that they are several works must be done in order to make this initiatives last with communities

Policy Influence

Project was visited by Legislative bodies (Northern Zone Parliament Members) including Provincial Governor. It was articulated that the project is first and model in the province. In the future this will be community learning center.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Silk product it is large activity for Lao women and in the north of Lao especially in Houaphan province women have knowledge for sericulture, and silk product weaving. This project is support sericulture for women in Vienxay district local women will have chance continue their native experience from their ancients.

Linkages gef projects

This project has trong relationship with other awarded projects and had exchange knowledge and expereinces through several events organized by SGP Lao PDR. One of those was bi-annual progress review meeting

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

This project will be promotion to other through by project meeting, material product and tourism section because Viengxay is revolution history place of country and silk weaving products is local product is engrossment to Lao women cultural through skill hand made.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Women group are very content because this project is native experience that women directly involve and silk product is important raw material for textile program which is the first source income for women in Houaphan province. silk product apply for weaving design Lao skirt. Weaving handicraft is essential and permanent job for Lao women in a long time, even they did not get much money from their product but total income can help them alleviation poverty. They can plant 15.000 of mulberry trees, product silk about 17 kg that target group can get income for the first period of the project.This project also link to promotion tourism and enhance outsider for trading and investment in district

Project Results

During the course of project, there were Community Project Management Committees attended several capacity building activities and it was proved that majority are now able to carry out activities independently, project budget was managed and control by the committee. The traditional and improved mulberry plants were grown in seasons within 6.5 hectares of community land with strong support from SGP on promoting network and silk products development for the market demand. The sericulture not only provide income to the community from silk products but throughout the life cycle of silkworm, it has also provide by-products e.g. community produced mulberry tea and members of the project also consumed silkworm making it as one of major nutrient sources for the family.It was proved that this project immediately facilitate a slow-down effect in terms of natural resources consumption and exploitation and had provided opportunity to protect environment by decreasing of forest and tree cutting. It was stipulated that local populations can improve livelihood in a sustainable way and at the same time facilitate gender mainstreaming.

This particular project target women as an important component of the project. The specific objectives are to provide technical capacity to the community in mulberry planting, silk worm raising and marketing strategy for product being produce at the Anouxay Village, Vieng Xai District. To date, the project completed two reports. District officials are very supportive of the project and would like to integrate mulberry farming project to the district development plan. The project is also intended to be replicated in each and every villages in Vieng Xai District. A stakeholder meeting was carried out in December 2011, recorded participants were approximately 50 people coming from different groups. The demo mulberry farm included 28 families which protect and maintain the 6.5 ha plots. As of this time, participating community members are task to look after 230 trays of silk worm. The community is intended to produce 500 kilograms out of these trays and an estimated of 50 kilograms of silk thread. The project also posted two promotional signage at the entrance of the project site. A series of training was also organized to develop administrative capacity and teamwork within members of the project. Follow-up meeting with relevant organizations e.g. District Agriculture and Forestry Office, Project Coordinators, Environment Office and SGP team on the procedure of writing report and a follow-up of MOA between parties was also discussed. However, there are problems and difficulties also entwined with the project. It has been suggested by the project proponent that the budget is not adequate, weather does not favor planting of mulberry i.e. scarcity of water in the project site, weaving takes up so much time and foreign made threads are inexpensive rather than that of a traditional silk threads. Some consumers may prefer synthetic threads because it is always readily available and inexpensive. Problems has been addressed by the project in terms of good cooperation between stakeholders. Lack of budget is addressed by seeking co-financing with potential donors. Overall, the project received enormous support from the community and district officials which would be a good stepping point for a successful projects.

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