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A Co-Publishing Agreement was signed between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on 14^th December 2018 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Under the agreement the three organizations will produce and publish material for awareness raising and trainings of the stakeholders of the SAMIS project.

The agreement will help produce multiple publications such as booklets, leaflets, manuals, guidelines, etc. for use by farmers and other stakeholders to better understand and adapt to climate change. The materials published under the project will also help conducting trainings for different stakeholder institutions to understand and adapt climate change and its impact on the agriculture sector.

FAO, MAF and MONRE are jointly implementing the USD 5.5 million project "Strengthening Agro-climatic Monitoring and Information Systems (SAMIS) to improve adaptation to climate change and food security in Lao PDR". This landmark agreement will enable the three main stakeholders i.e. MAF, MONRE and FAO to prepare joint communications and training materials and disseminate them to stakeholders at all levels including farmers, DAFO, PAFO DONRE, PONRE and Central Government departments.

In collaboration with the project, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) of MONRE is developing an online system to collect and distribute weather and crop information to farmers on weekly basis before and during the cropping season. This information will enable farmers to increase food security and to have more stable production in the wake of climate uncertainties. Additionally, the Department of Agricultural Land Management of MAF is developing an online system for preparing agricultural production scenarios for future planning. Using the agro-ecological zoning methodology, the new system will allow the high-level decision makers at MAF to plan and support agricultural production in different zones of the country.

The event was attended by Mr Viengxay Manivong, National Project Director of the SAMIS, Mr. Khanmany Khoumphonh, on behalf of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and Mr. Khamphone Rasachack, Director General of Department of Agricultural Land Management, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Mr.  Nasar Hayat, FAO Representative to Lao, PDR along with Dr. Monica Petri, and Project Coordinator of the SAMIS project were also present.

The participants also visited the new premises of the Climate and Agro-meteorology Division, Department of Meteorology and Hydrology of MONRE that has recently started its activities, in Vientiane.