Laos' Shining Star
Chanthaly grew up the second daughter of two veterinarians employed at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The family lived in Xiengkhoung Province in the Northeast of Laos, an area frequented by tourists wanting to see the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Plain of Jars; 2,100, tubular-shaped, megalithic stone jars dating from the Iron Age.
Home to the largest area of level land in Laos (apart from floodplains) and the largest producer of maize in Laos, Xiengkhoung Province is characterised by rolling green hills and grasslands. It is also considered to be the most bombed place on Earth due to a decade long American campaign during the Vietnam War era that came to be known as “the Secret War”. Unexploded ordnances remain a problem today, costing lives and causing loss of land and livelihood.
Chanthaly is brimming with gratitude for her people and country. She loves her motherland for its peaceful nature and precious biodiversity. The region is home to a number of endangered species including tigers, clouded leopards, Asian elephants and Hornbills.
Chanthaly has followed in her parents’ footsteps and is now the Deputy Chief of Agriculture in the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Forestry- Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PDR. Her favourite part of the job is going out into the country-side to facilitate technical training for small-holder farmers. Her programs help them to diversify and access new markets, creating sustainable livelihoods and decreasing environmental costs along the way.
Chanthaly has often faced challenges and set-backs working with male farmers who are not used to interacting with women in leadership positions. It’s a common experience for women working in agriculture research across the Indo-Pacific and something that the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research is keen to address.
Established by ACIAR, the fellowship provides leadership training that not only delivers crucial management skills but also sets participants up with a mentor and a broad network that can support them throughout their careers. ACIAR is invested in developing better pathways to leadership for women in the sector because in the words of ACIAR CEO Professor Andrew Campbell:
“Ensuring that women have equal access to resources and decision making is a direct route to reducing poverty for all.”
The fellowship has certainly strengthened the bond that Chanthaly feels with Australia.
“I am very proud to say that I have benefited from the support of the Australian Government. I love Australia and the kind Australian people. I would not have come this far without Australian support and I will keep working with Australian organizations into the future. Together we can make a difference.”
In June 2020, Chanthaly was one of 9 Meryl Williams Fellows to be awarded a grant via ACIAR’s Alumni Research Support Facility (for a total of 8 projects).
The Research Support Facility is designed to be reflexive to the global pandemic response and seeks to support initiatives that build resilience and respond to the emerging challenges that COVID-19 has placed on agricultural systems in our partner countries.
Chanthaly’s newly funded research will address the lack of local knowledge and preparedness for health crises that the current COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light.
“As you know this is an emergency situation that is having huge impacts on the social and economic wellbeing of people in my region and all across the Indo-Pacific. Unfortunately, we were not prepared for these impacts. I feel so thankful for the support of ACIAR in giving this grant. The Research Support Facility is like a boat for me and my organisation to work on the issues. The research will help us understand the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural production as well as gender issues. From there we can develop an efficient disaster evaluation plan, understand what financial resources are required and inform policy.”
To conduct the research Chanthaly is teaming up with the other Laotian Meryl Williams Fellows, Dr Daovy Kongmanila and Dr Phonevilay Sinavong as well as mentors Dr Chanthakhone Boulaphahn, Dr Silinthone Sacklokham. The ACIAR Research Support Facility, delivered by the University Of New England also provides mentorship and will connect the project to international experts who can further enhance the quality of the research outcomes.
Chanthaly told us:
“It is very significant to have the support of the Meryl Williams Fellows and mentors as well as ACIAR’s experts. The domestic and international network and multi-disciplinary cooperation makes us confident our research will lead to a useful policy framework and greater responsiveness to the current pandemic and future threats.”
Meryl Williams Lead Trainer Dr Rebecca Spence says of Chanthaly:
“From the first week of the program I knew that Chanthaly would be one of our most influential Meryl Williams Fellows. Her commitment to working with rural communities on food security, poverty reduction and gender empowerment is coupled with a wicked sense of humour and zest for life. She is a bright shining star.”
