EU representative monitor progress of UNODC project in Houaphanh

VIENTIANE,01.25.2012(KPL)- A representative of European Union, Mrs Helen Jenkinson and her delegation visited a project of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) undertaking in Thamchok and Korlou villages, Samtay district, Houaphanh province, between 18-20 January. Thamchok village has 634 families and 87 households are Hmong ethnic group relying on slash and burn cultivation practice for upland farming on 96 ha with production capacity of 99.3 tonnes yearly, on averaging per capita is 156.6 kg of paddy rice. Main income of villagers is the collection of non-timber forest products for sell, which averaged per capita income of 185,400 kip. Some Thamchok villagers have still relied on illegally opium poppy plantation for addicting. In this village, 31 opium addicts, of whom 17 patients have been treated since UNODC project starting this area. Korlou village has a population of 437, of whom four are opium addicts. They have relied on 87 ha of upland rice farming and 1.2 ha of rice farming in low-lying area. Both villages are under the assistance of USD2.9 million UNODC project which will run till 2013. The activities of the project includes establishment of village development committee, village drug control committee, village fund, group of cash crops seasoning plantation. The project also focuses on rehabilitation of opium addicts and training local people on gender roles, development planning and service.