Pakse, Lao PDR, May 21, 2026 – The Mekong-Republic of Korea (RoK) Cooperation is addressing the overuse of chemical fertilizers in vegetable production, which harms soil and water health, threatens biodiversity, and poses risks to farmers and consumers, among other issues. Through the S-BIOFERT project, funded under Call 9 of the Mekong-RoK Cooperation Fund (MKCF), lead implementer Champasak University (CU) of Lao PDR will employ collaborative research with regional universities and RoK partners to develop locally adapted biofertilizers.
CU Rector Dr. Phonesavanh Thepphasoulithone described the challenge of balancing agricultural productivity with environmental sustainability and emphasized bio-based solutions as an important approach to empowering farmers and promoting sustainable agriculture. At the launch of the project, he noted how S-BIOFERT, or “Developing Sustainable Biofertilizers to Replace Chemical Fertilizers, Responding Sustainably to Farmers’ Vegetable Production in Lao PDR, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar,” will support this vision by bringing regional experts together.
Mr. Heuanchay Sangsomsak, Director of the Mekong Countries and Development Partners Cooperation Division at the Economic Affairs Department of Lao PDR’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), stressed that agriculture remains the backbone of the regional economy and, as such, reducing the burdens faced by smallholder farmers should be a collective priority.
Chemical fertilizers boost vegetable growth and yield but are harmful in the long term, as they can lead to soil degradation, water contamination due to agricultural runoffs, health risks to farmers and consumers, reduced biodiversity, and increased farmer dependence year by year due to nutrient loss in the soil.
As an alternative, especially for smallholder farmers in rural areas, biofertilizers can keep the soil environment rich in all kinds of micro- and macronutrients, improving soil health, enhancing root development, reducing environmental impact, and supporting both sustainable agriculture and the wellbeing of farmers and consumers.
Mr. Inpeng Duangvongsa, Vice Dean of CU, said that the project will provide a scientific basis for improving the current conditions of regional agriculture. It will combine innovation with practical capacity building to create long-term agricultural transformation that considers farmers’ socioeconomic conditions.
S-BIOFERT targets vegetable farming communities in Paksong, Kaysone, and Songkhone in Lao PDR; Hue in Vietnam; Battambang in Cambodia; Mahasarakham University (MSU) in Thailand; and Nay Pyi Taw (NPT) Capital of Myanmar. It aims to establish production facilities to ensure accessibility. The goal is to reduce chemical use by 25–30 percent in pilot sites, lower input costs by 25–30 percent for participating farmers, and increase yields by 15–25 percent, alongside measurable improvements in soil health.
At the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting following the project launch, Mr. Madhurjya Kumar Dutta, Director of MKCF at the Mekong Institute, recommended that S-BIOFERT incorporate enterprise development to ensure sustainability.
“Given the agriculture-dependent nature of many countries in the region, addressing relevant challenges through biofertilizer solutions would contribute significantly to sustainability. As such, the MKCF implementation approach of development, piloting, and scaling-up underscores the importance of incorporating business-oriented elements to ensure sustainability beyond capacity-building activities,” he said.
The PAC also suggested including students in project-related activities, as well as strong public-private partnership engagement throughout project implementation.
