During 2-3 August 2019, FLOURISH organized Teak Certificate Learning events in three project target villages-- Houaythong and Koklouang, Bokeo province. One day event was held in each village. In total, the events were attended by the 58 local smallholders (16 female) and representatives from Bokeo PAFO, Houayxai DAFO, Paktha DAFO and RECOFTC Lao PDR. Specifically, 21 people, including 3 female and 37 people, including 13 female from Houaythong and Koklouang, respectively.

The learning event aimed to:

• disseminate the revised Forestry Law and regulations on the Promotion of Commercial Tree Plantation
• raise awareness on importance of tree certificates and procedures to apply for tree certificates

In this event, the participants understood that the revised Forestry Law and the related forestry policy promotes investment by individuals, legal entities and organizations in plantations for commerce and for supply of raw materials for manufacturing. The specific supporting policies include: policies on ownership, exemption or reduction of land tax, duty, taxes related to seeds, planted trees, land lease or concession. There are also policies supporting capacity development for local people.

During the event, the project also recorded the number of teak farmers as well as registered teak plots. In Koklouang, there were 36 teak smallholders managing 68 teak plots of which 39 plots were not registered with tree certificates. Some plots were unregistered because the trees were less than three years old or the plot size was less than 0.16 ha. In Houathong, there were 26 teak smallholders. They all had their teak plots registered.