At the end of June, the department organised a training session for agricultural and forestry officials from nine Lao provinces. The session focused on fruit tree grafting and propagation techniques to improve plant varieties and expand high-yield, high-quality crops suited to the climate and soil of the Lao provinces. Additionally, training on artificial insemination techniques for buffaloes and cows was provided to help improve livestock quality, breeding efficiency, and disease prevention.

In addition to theoretical training, the Lao delegation visited exemplary crop and livestock production models across Son La province. Yensak Sitthinyavong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos’ Bokeo province said: “Visiting these models and receiving firsthand guidance from Son La’s agricultural experts and cooperatives has provided valuable insights. We will share this knowledge with local farmers for application.”

Tran Dung Tien, Deputy Director of the Son La Department of Agriculture and Environment, expressed his hope that the Lao agricultural officials would apply the newly acquired techniques effectively to develop agriculture and forestry, leverage local strengths, improve livelihoods, and promote sustainable local economic growth.

Every year, Son La sends working delegations to Lao provinces to foster exchanges and collaboration. It works closely with Lao agricultural departments to survey climate and soil conditions, support suitable crop and livestock models, and assign technical staff for timely guidance and support.

Since 2020, Son La has provided farmers in Houaphanh, Luang Prabang, and Luang Namtha with 17,900 fruit tree seedlings and helped establish 70 hectares of mango, longan, orange, and pomelo cultivation. The province has also conducted site surveys for planting fruit and forestry trees in five Lao provinces: Oudomxay, Xieng Khouang, Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha, and Phongsaly.

Additionally, the local Plant Protection and Crop Production Sub-Department has assisted thousands of farmers in Houaphanh province with plant quarantine for sugarcane, facilitating trade with Son La. Over 150 tonnes of sugarcane from Houaphanh were purchased by Son La Sugar Joint Stock Company in the most recent season.

Ho Trung Kien, Director of the Sub-Department, noted that all imported sugarcane batches must meet two key requirements: phytosanitary certification and food safety compliance. This process usually takes up to three days, while the sugarcane must reach Son La's sugar factory within 48 hours to maintain quality. The department coordinated with relevant parties to streamline procedures, reducing clearance time to 20–22 hours, ensuring timely delivery and quality assurance.

Khamphou Bouttavong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Houaphanh province, stated that with Son La’s support, Houaphanh's agricultural sector has made solid progress, meeting key goals in food security, developing key agricultural commodities, protecting and expanding forests, and promoting rural development and poverty reduction.

“We hope to continue receiving cooperation from Son La to further boost our agricultural and rural development,” he added.

Moving forward, the Son La Department of Agriculture and Environment will continue to intensify agricultural cooperation with Lao provinces, focusing on model implementation, technology transfer, and sharing of plant varieties. These efforts contribute to strengthening the bond between Son La and its Lao partners, as well as the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos.