A second type of sustainable village-based livelihood
is seen in the example of Ban Pakchek in Pak Ou district
in the province of Luang Prabang in the north of Laos. 7
Ban Pakchek is an unusual village to the degree that the
village leaders decided not to take the option and locate
by the roadside, which would have afforded easier market
access, but instead chose to remain on the far bank of
the Nam Ou from the road. 8 This unwillingness to move
is perhaps partly explained by the antiquity of the village:
it was established on its current site over 250 years ago.
Despite the inhabitants’ desire to stay put, farming in
Ban Pakchek is being squeezed. The area of lowland that
might be conducive to intensified farming methods is
limited and shortening fallows on the upland shifting
cultivation fields is causing yields to decline. This was
cited by villagers as a major cause of food insecurity.
Rice yields have declined from around 1.8 t/ha 10 years
ago to 1.2–1.3 t/ha today. Shorter fallow periods are also
leading to increased weed infestation and soil erosion.
The amount of labour required for weeding upland fields
has doubled over recent years. Pest problems are also
severe, particularly the scourge of rats and wild pigs.