SEAMEO BIOTROP, in collaboration with the Lao National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute, trained 16 researchers, teachers and students on Tissue Culture Techniques for Plant Propagation and Nursery Management on 27 May-1 June 2013.

The training was aimed at increasing the knowledge and skills of the participants from relevant institutions in Lao PDR on plant propagation towards ensuring the availability of quality planting materials for agricultural and forest production through tissue culture techniques and proper nursery management.  The participants came from NAFRI (Agriculture Research Centre and Upland Research Centre), Ministry of Science and Technology, National University of Laos, Souphanouvong University, Savannakhet University, and Champasack University.

In his speech during the closing program, Dr. Bounthong Bouahom, NAFRI Director General and former BIOTROP Governing Board Member, emphasized the importance of the training for improving agriculture and forest productivity in Lao PDR.  He encouraged the participants to sustain the interest on tissue culture and share the knowledge and skills they acquired from the training to their office colleagues and students.  He also thanked BIOTROP for organizing the in-country training, being the first one, with NAFRI.

The 6-day training consisted of  lecture-discussions and laboratory exercises provided by resource persons/facilitators consisting of Ms. Erina Sulistiani and Dr. Jess C. Fernandez from SEAMEO BIOTROP, and Dr. Diah Ratnadewi from Bogor Agricultural University.  The training enabled the participants to experience  hands-on the process of plant propagation  through tissue culture technique.

The training participants produced action plans on how they will apply the knowledge and skills they acquired from the training in their respective institutions.

The training was implemented under a Memorandum of Agreement between BIOTROP and NAFRI which was signed in March 2013.