Environmental Impacts of Trade Liberalization in the Medicinal Plants and Spices Sector of the Lao PDR

The document examines the tension between the economic potential of exporting medicinal plants and spices in Lao PDR and the resulting environmental pressures. It identifies systemic failures in harvesting and regulation while proposing a framework for sustainable management and legal enforcement.

• The medicinal plants and spices sector offers significant economic opportunities, including poverty reduction and increased farmer income, due to rising regional demand.
• Rapid expansion of the sector has led to unsustainable harvesting and the potential destruction of the natural resource base due to unplanned use of plants.
• The sector is currently hindered by a lack of scientific harvesting methods, weak collaboration between public and private sectors, and insufficient enforcement of laws and regulations.

APA

Sydara,, K. (2008). Environmental Impacts of Trade Liberalization in the Medicinal Plants and Spices Sector of the Lao PDR. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/environmental-impacts-trade-liberalization-medicinal-plants-and-spices-sector

Chicago

Sydara,, Kongmany. Environmental Impacts of Trade Liberalization in the Medicinal Plants and Spices Sector of the Lao PDR. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2008. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/environmental-impacts-trade-liberalization-medicinal-plants-and-spices-sector.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sydara, |first1=Kongmany |title=Environmental Impacts of Trade Liberalization in the Medicinal Plants and Spices Sector of the Lao PDR |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=23 January 2008 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/environmental-impacts-trade-liberalization-medicinal-plants-and-spices-sector |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sydara2008environmental, author = {Sydara,, Kongmany}, title = {{Environmental Impacts of Trade Liberalization in the Medicinal Plants and Spices Sector of the Lao PDR}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2008}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/environmental-impacts-trade-liberalization-medicinal-plants-and-spices-sector}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }