The Laos Extension for Agriculture Project (LEAP) started in November 2001, the first phase ended in December 2004. LEAP is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and co-implemented by the National Agriculture and Forestry Extension Service (NAFES), with technical assistance from HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation in Laos.The project spans 4 phases, with Phase I beginning in 2001, and Phase IV ending in 2012.  In Phase IV, LEAP refocused more attention to the quality of service delivery, in order to complement the attention that was given to increasing geographical coverage in earlier phases and to further promote the vision of “Extension for Everyone”.  In 2012 LEAP is wrapping up its 4rth phase.  From Oct 2012 to October 2013 LEAP will enter a final phase out.

The objective of the LEAP project is to contribute to the development of a decentralized, participatory, pluralistic, & sustainable agricultural extension system that is capable of benefiting poorer households and communities, an reaches male & female farmers equally.

Over 11 years, LEAP supported NAFES (now DEAC) in improving planning and management in order to develop an appropriate overall extension structure in Lao PDR and to make the extension service more effective and efficient.

The Lao Extension Approach (LEA) is a framework for implementing extension activities in Lao PDR that was endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 2005.  The LEA has a single inclusive vision which is expressed in the phrase “Extension for Everyone”.  It is not always easy to implement this vision, but continuous efforts are being made to turn slogan into reality. The Laos Extension for Agriculture Project (LEAP) has taken a number of steps to make extension services more inclusive. As a result of these efforts, the involvement of women, ethnic minorities, and poorer households in extension activities is gradually increasing. 

 In 2011 following a program review, LEAP worked to upgrade the LEA basic approach to LEA+, addressing emerging needs of small holder farmers amid a rapdily changing development context.  Together with NAFES, LEAP project supported the creation, dissemination and instruction of participatory decision making tools for small holder farmers increasingly faced with both challenges and opportunities engaging in the developing market sector in Laos.  A combinaiton of both studies and toolkits and more targeted socially inclusive extension approaches are aiming to better equip men, women and ethnic farmers to make more informed decisions, and improve their bargaining power while improving the capacity of local extension workers and authorities to facilitate improved services via multi-stakeholder engagement including private and civil society sector.  LEAP together with NAFES also chair the secretariat for the Sub-sector working group on Agri-Business (SWGAB).