Multi‑stakeholder coordination for quality basic vocational training delivery to rural youth

From 30 March to 6 April 2026, the Skills for tourism, agriculture and forestry (STAF) programme supported rural youth in Bolikhamxay Province through basic vocational training in semi‑confined goat husbandry and in‑ and off‑season vegetable production. Building on earlier skills development initiatives, the training combined practical learning, technical capacity‑building and market‑oriented approaches to help young farmers strengthen their livelihoods and expand income‑generating activities.

The training was jointly implemented by the Provincial and District Education and Sports Offices, which facilitated the training and cooperation among stakeholders, the Provincial and District Agriculture and Environment Offices, together with the Agriculture Extension Service Centre, which delivered the training, and private enterprises, which provided hands-on practical learning.

The training focused on semi‑confined goat husbandry and on in‑ and off‑season vegetable production, targeting 40 rural youth (22 women) from Viengthong and Xaychamphone Districts. It was a continuation of earlier support provided under the STAF programme, under which participants had already gained basic technical know-how, practised their skills, identified potential markets and developed preliminary plans for commercial farm development. Motivated to expand their activities, the trainees joined this follow‑up training course to further strengthen their technical capacity.

For the goat husbandry group, each participant is currently raising between 2 and 8 goats and plans to expand to 10–15 goats. The Training focused on key challenges in transitioning from free‑rearing to semi‑confined systems, including disease prevention and treatment, feed preparation, climate adaptation, and the sourcing of quality breeding stock.

For the vegetable production group, trainees reported earning income from selling 8–10 kilogrammes of approximately 3 different types of vegetables per day, with plans to double or triple production volumes. Observations from model farms emphasised the role of improved techniques, such as composting, mechanisation and efficient irrigation systems, in increasing productivity and incomes. Market access and production planning were also key discussion points. Trainees evaluated selling opportunities within Viengthong District, as well as in neighbouring areas. One trainee shared how producing oversized cabbages without an understanding of trader preferences resulted in losses, reinforcing the importance of aligning production decisions and techniques with market demand.

As in many rural contexts, challenges such as access to finance, agricultural inputs and market fluctuations remain. However, trainees reported feeling technically better equipped, more informed and determined to move forward with their farm expansion plans.

The STAF programme supports its local partners in assisting young farmers to increase their income from production. Experience from this work highlights the importance of multi‑stakeholder cooperation across the education, agriculture and extension services sectors, as well as the public and private sectors, in delivering effective basic vocational training for local communities.

The six-year (2023–2028) STAF programme is co-financed by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Switzerland, and the European Union, and implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports together with LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency.