Rep o rt of th e tw en - Rotterdam Convention

3.9 Lao People’s Democratic Republic
In Lao PDR, plant protection played an essential role in implementing the policies of the
Government, as well as that of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, especially regarding the
policies on clean agricultural production, poverty eradication, agricultural commodity production
for export, open market for ASEAN Free Trade Area and the readiness of Lao PDR to enter the
World Trade Organization.
The plant protection activities which were carried out during the past two years (2003-2005)
have faced many problems and constraints such as lack of skilled personnel who are specialized in
subject matters, especially in entomology, mycology and virology. The network of the plant protection
at the central and local levels has also not yet been strengthened while infrastructure, especially
laboratory facilities, have been considerably low. Legal work has not yet been improved, such as
regulations on plant protection and plant quarantine.
Other than the above-mentioned problems and constraints, the occurrence of natural disasters
was a significant problem and constraint for agriculture in Lao PDR. Every year, agricultural production
was severely devastated by drought, flood and pest outbreaks. The severe outbreaks of major pests
over the past two years, causing serious damage, were as follows: coffee berry borer and coconut
hispine beetles (Brontispa longissima Gestoro).
Since 2004, the IPM project has conducted research on the prevention and control of coconut
hispine beetle by using biological control such as the rearing and releasing of parasitoids (Asecodes
hispinarum) for attacking the eggs and worms of coconut hispine beetle in two provinces (Bolikhamxay
and Savannaket).
Plant quarantine played an important role in the support of national agricultural production
for export. In recent years, the Department of Agriculture has improved the diseases and pests
database and information system for phytosanitary certification, revised the framework and functioning
of international plant quarantine checking points, announced orders on the control of coffee berry
borer in three southern provinces and coconut hispine beetle in Savannaket and Bolikhamxay Provinces.
Currently, the Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine is being prepared and supported by FAO and
AusAid. In addition, the Regulation on Organic Farming Standard was submitted to the Scientific
and Technology Council of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
At present, there were 100 brand names of pesticides registered with DOA, consisting of
75 products from Viet Nam and 25 from Thailand.
3.10 Malaysia
Over the past two years (2003-2004), pest infestation for most of the major agricultural crops
in Malaysia has decreased and is under control without significant losses due to improvements in
cultivation practices and good pest management.
IPM programmes on rice and vegetables were actively implemented by the Department of
Agriculture (DOA) in collaboration with various stakeholders. In the year 2004, DOA conducted
a total of 18 IPM training sessions for 471 extension officers. Over 2 500 farmers were trained on
IPM practices both formally and informally during the farmers’ meeting sessions.
Recently, the organizational structure of the Department of Agriculture of Malaysia has
undergone a restructuring exercise, whereby the NPPO has also been restructured to meet the current
trend and the changing international trade scenario. In addition, the Government promugulated
a new law plant quarantine law to replace the existing one to be consistent with and aligned to the
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