Rapid expansion of pastures in Northern Lao PDR revealed by geospatial analysis

In response to growing livestock demand from China and Vietnam, labour shortages and increasingly adverse weather, many farmers in Northern Lao PDR are transitioning from annual cropping to cattle rearing. While livestock expansion has economic benefits, it poses significant environmental risks. Pas...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Himel, Jeffrey, Jalonen, Riina, Kong-Ay, Khampaseuth, Vongkhamho, Simone, Bountihiphonh, Chaloun, Xaypheng, Nout, Chanhthavong, Somsack, Notenbaert, An, Muthoni, Francis
Formato: Informe técnico
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2024
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/169649
_version_ 1855516791993794560
author Himel, Jeffrey
Jalonen, Riina
Kong-Ay, Khampaseuth
Vongkhamho, Simone
Bountihiphonh, Chaloun
Xaypheng, Nout
Chanhthavong, Somsack
Notenbaert, An
Muthoni, Francis
author_browse Bountihiphonh, Chaloun
Chanhthavong, Somsack
Himel, Jeffrey
Jalonen, Riina
Kong-Ay, Khampaseuth
Muthoni, Francis
Notenbaert, An
Vongkhamho, Simone
Xaypheng, Nout
author_facet Himel, Jeffrey
Jalonen, Riina
Kong-Ay, Khampaseuth
Vongkhamho, Simone
Bountihiphonh, Chaloun
Xaypheng, Nout
Chanhthavong, Somsack
Notenbaert, An
Muthoni, Francis
author_sort Himel, Jeffrey
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description In response to growing livestock demand from China and Vietnam, labour shortages and increasingly adverse weather, many farmers in Northern Lao PDR are transitioning from annual cropping to cattle rearing. While livestock expansion has economic benefits, it poses significant environmental risks. Pasture expansion has contributed to deforestation, increased greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, loss of ecosystem services and reduced climate resilience. Sustainable intensification of livestock production systems in the region is essential to improve productivity, optimize resource use, and enhance socio-ecological resilience amid volatile global markets, land degradation, and environmental change. The objective of this study was to apply remote sensing and field inventory data analyze land use/land cover changes (LULCC) in three districts in Luang Prabang and Xieng Khouang provinces of Lao PDR, with a special focus on conversions to and from pasture lands. Specific research questions were: (1) What is the extent of land cover change towards pasturelands from 1993 to 2023? (2) How much of the pasturelands are in areas with elevated environmental risks, and would thus particularly benefit from sustainable intensification such as silvopasture? The results revealed a rapid land use change towards pasturelands, especially since 2010, with pasture expansion reaching almost 700% in Phonxay district (Luang Prabang) and 400% in Mok and Nonghet districts (Xieng Khouang), compared to the 1993 baseline.
format Informe técnico
id CGSpace169649
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1696492025-11-05T11:54:29Z Rapid expansion of pastures in Northern Lao PDR revealed by geospatial analysis Himel, Jeffrey Jalonen, Riina Kong-Ay, Khampaseuth Vongkhamho, Simone Bountihiphonh, Chaloun Xaypheng, Nout Chanhthavong, Somsack Notenbaert, An Muthoni, Francis forest cover land degradation land-use mapping grassland management land-use change In response to growing livestock demand from China and Vietnam, labour shortages and increasingly adverse weather, many farmers in Northern Lao PDR are transitioning from annual cropping to cattle rearing. While livestock expansion has economic benefits, it poses significant environmental risks. Pasture expansion has contributed to deforestation, increased greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, loss of ecosystem services and reduced climate resilience. Sustainable intensification of livestock production systems in the region is essential to improve productivity, optimize resource use, and enhance socio-ecological resilience amid volatile global markets, land degradation, and environmental change. The objective of this study was to apply remote sensing and field inventory data analyze land use/land cover changes (LULCC) in three districts in Luang Prabang and Xieng Khouang provinces of Lao PDR, with a special focus on conversions to and from pasture lands. Specific research questions were: (1) What is the extent of land cover change towards pasturelands from 1993 to 2023? (2) How much of the pasturelands are in areas with elevated environmental risks, and would thus particularly benefit from sustainable intensification such as silvopasture? The results revealed a rapid land use change towards pasturelands, especially since 2010, with pasture expansion reaching almost 700% in Phonxay district (Luang Prabang) and 400% in Mok and Nonghet districts (Xieng Khouang), compared to the 1993 baseline. 2024-12-15 2025-01-22T15:31:42Z 2025-01-22T15:31:42Z Report https://hdl.handle.net/10568/169649 en Open Access application/pdf Himel, J.; Jalonen, R.; Kong-Ay, K.; Vongkhamho, S.; Bountihiphonh, C.; Xaypheng, N.; Chanhthavong, S.; Notenbaert, A.; Muthoni, F. (2024) Rapid expansion of pastures in Northern Lao PDR revealed by geospatial analysis. Rome (Italy): Bioversity International. 44 p.
spellingShingle forest cover
land degradation
land-use mapping
grassland management
land-use change
Himel, Jeffrey
Jalonen, Riina
Kong-Ay, Khampaseuth
Vongkhamho, Simone
Bountihiphonh, Chaloun
Xaypheng, Nout
Chanhthavong, Somsack
Notenbaert, An
Muthoni, Francis
Rapid expansion of pastures in Northern Lao PDR revealed by geospatial analysis
title Rapid expansion of pastures in Northern Lao PDR revealed by geospatial analysis
title_full Rapid expansion of pastures in Northern Lao PDR revealed by geospatial analysis
title_fullStr Rapid expansion of pastures in Northern Lao PDR revealed by geospatial analysis
title_full_unstemmed Rapid expansion of pastures in Northern Lao PDR revealed by geospatial analysis
title_short Rapid expansion of pastures in Northern Lao PDR revealed by geospatial analysis
title_sort rapid expansion of pastures in northern lao pdr revealed by geospatial analysis
topic forest cover
land degradation
land-use mapping
grassland management
land-use change
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/169649
work_keys_str_mv AT himeljeffrey rapidexpansionofpasturesinnorthernlaopdrrevealedbygeospatialanalysis
AT jalonenriina rapidexpansionofpasturesinnorthernlaopdrrevealedbygeospatialanalysis
AT kongaykhampaseuth rapidexpansionofpasturesinnorthernlaopdrrevealedbygeospatialanalysis
AT vongkhamhosimone rapidexpansionofpasturesinnorthernlaopdrrevealedbygeospatialanalysis
AT bountihiphonhchaloun rapidexpansionofpasturesinnorthernlaopdrrevealedbygeospatialanalysis
AT xayphengnout rapidexpansionofpasturesinnorthernlaopdrrevealedbygeospatialanalysis
AT chanhthavongsomsack rapidexpansionofpasturesinnorthernlaopdrrevealedbygeospatialanalysis
AT notenbaertan rapidexpansionofpasturesinnorthernlaopdrrevealedbygeospatialanalysis
AT muthonifrancis rapidexpansionofpasturesinnorthernlaopdrrevealedbygeospatialanalysis