Lao legislators ask livestock producers, banana plantations to act on pollution concerns

The swift expansion of commercial plantations and livestock production has contributed to economic expansion in rural regions of Laos in recent years but caused concerns over environment pollution.

Due to ongoing challenges surrounding shortcomings in management and regulation of chemical usage and pollution mitigation, Lao legislators are now calling for improved oversight and enforcement of regulations on commercial agriculture.

Members of the nation's peak legislature the National Assembly are meeting this week in the Lao capital Vientiane for the body's second ordinary session held since elections in March this year.

Some members took to local media Wednesday to express concern over environmental pollution cases emerging from poultry and livestock production units.

These problems include those arising for residents in Luang Prabang of northern Laos affected by farms, state-run media Vientiane Times reported NA member for Luang Prabang province Vienvilay Dylaphan as saying.

Vienvilay said there are many places which have problems with factories and chicken and pig farms creating pollution and bad smells.

Bualaphan Vongxalaxith, NA member for Attapeu province in southern Laos also called for adherence to laws and regulations.

"Some factory operators don't take any notice of the law and don't care about the local community or the environment ... they don't stop to think about the smoke and waste water that may be emitted and effects local people in various ways," Bualaphan was reported as saying.

"The authorities have tried to solve and prevent these problems but they fail because factory owners and operators don't strictly follow the regulations and the enforcement of laws and rules is weak."

Meanwhile, the dangers of overuse of agricultural chemicals by both registered and unregistered banana plantations has also been conveyed in the nation's peak legislature this week after being raised on behalf of concerned members of the public.

Calls to provide improved oversight on banana producers emerged from deliberations by members of the country's peak legislature from Monday.

Banana production in Laos has largely focused in the nation's mountainous north.

According to the Vientiane Times, over usage of chemicals and the discarding of protective plastic sheeting into waterways are among the complaints the banana plantation sector has fielded.

Member for Luang Namtha province, Kongphet Keobuapha said some provinces were consistently using excess insecticides, pesticides and chemical fertilisers, facts that remained under-reported in submissions to the Assembly.

Some people had become ill and some had allegedly died after spraying pesticide on farms, he said without citing the case in question.

NA member for Attapeu province Maniso Xamounty told the Assembly there were also hundreds of hectares of bananas under cultivation in the province of Vientiane and within the capital prefecture, including those operating without official sanction.

Whether it be agricultural or livestock production, ongoing improvements to stakeholder engagement and production monitoring in Laos should help raise standards of operators in adherence to both local laws and contractual commitments while serving to minimize pollution on workers, local communities and the land and waters that sustain them, it is urged. Endit