IBAs Important Bird Areas INGOs International Non-Government Organizations IO International Organizations IRRI Internation Rice Research Institute IUCN the International Union for Conservation of Nature KfW Kreditanstalt fьr Wiederaufbau (Development Bank) Lao – WEN Lao Wildlife Enforcement for Conservation Lao PDR Lao People’s Democratic Republic LDC Least Development Country LFNC Lao Front for National Construction (Lao:
Neo Lao Sang Xat) LMB Lower Mekong Basin LWU Lao Women’s Union MAF Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry MDGs Millennium Development Goals MEM Ministry of Energy and Mines MICT Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism MoES Ministry of Education and Sport MoNRE Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment MoST Ministry of Science and Technology MPI Ministry of Planning and Investment NAFRI National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute NBCAs National Biodiversity and Conservation Areas NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NEPL Nam Et-Phou Louey NGOs Non-Government Organizations NPAs National Protected Areas NR National Report NRE Natural Resources and Environment NSEDP National Socio-Economic Development Plan NT Near-Threatened NTFPs Non-Timber Forest Products NUDP Northern Uplands Development Programme NUoL National University of Lao PDR PAFO Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office PES Payment for Environmental Services PoNRE Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment viii