BEIJING, Dec. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- China and Lao PDR have stepped up their cooperation on agricultural science and technology, with 2025 marking a year of concrete progress from laboratory planning to field-level impact.

At the heart of this collaboration is the China-Lao Joint Laboratory for Plant Biosafety, co-led by the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPPCAAS) and the Department of Agriculture (DOA), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), Lao PDR. Over the past year, the joint lab has refined its governance arrangements, agreed on fixed contact points on both sides and prepared a supplementary agreement on high-resolution insect radar, which is now undergoing the Lao regulatory process. The Lao side has also completed the functional layout of new laboratory facilities, including basic living space for resident scientists, so that technical teams can work and respond on site.

In the field, cooperation has focused on building systems that directly serve farmers. In central and southern Lao PDR, intelligent light-trap stations have been deployed in five core agricultural provinces—Vientiane, Bolikhamxay, Khammouane, Savannakhet and Champasak—to monitor major pests in maize and rice.

Field demonstration links these tools with day-to-day production. Around Vientiane and in nearby districts, China–Lao teams have set up rice and maize plots that compare biological control, conventional chemical control and integrated pest management (IPM) packages. These side-by-side trials allow local officers and farmers to see how different options affect crop loss, labour and input costs, and safety, and to select combinations that match local conditions and market requirements.

Capacity development and communication have become key features of the partnership. In 2025, Chinese and Lao experts jointly organized four rounds of hands-on training linked to the new monitoring sites, covering light-trap operation and maintenance, sample handling, pest identification and basic data recording, and reaching more than 60 provincial, district and frontline technicians. The joint lab is also working with the National University of Laos to recruit and mentor local interns, giving students practical experience in applied agricultural research and data management. To make the cooperation more visible, bilingual display panels on the joint lab's mandate, monitoring sites and demonstration plots have been produced, and Lao National Television has reported on the work through its news and online channels.

Together, these developments show how China and Lao PDR are turning agricultural science cooperation into practical support for more resilient crops and rural livelihoods, while providing a useful example for wider regional collaboration.