Between 2001 and 2009, the four districts of Boten, Kenthao, Paklay and Thongmixay in southern Sayaboury Province have been targeted by two AFD-funded projects dealing with research and extension of Conservation Agriculture (CA), namely the Programme National Agro-Ecologie€ (PRONAE) and the Programme de Capitalisation en Appui à la Politique de Développement Rural - Point d'Application du Sud de la province de Sayaboury€ (PASS). PRONAE was essentially focused on technical research and experimentation on Conservation Agriculture in a few localities while PASS was engaged in the dissemination of the research results among farmers of the four districts. In 2008, PASS had set up CA farmer groups in 44 villages, involving about 1100 households and 1500 ha of land cultivated with direct seeding mulch-based cropping systems.