UNDP in Laos is looking for Finnish companies for joint projects

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Lao PDR is offering collaboration opportunities for Finnish companies. The organisation is looking for experts in four different sectors: agriculture, tourism, textiles and care economy.

UNDP is currently developing legislation with the Government of Laos to regulate the import and use of harmful agrochemicals. Complementing this, UNDP is working on pilot projects to incentivise farmers to adopt sustainable crop management practices. The organisation is looking for partner companies that can offer technology and financing solutions to scale up production, and expertise on organic certification.  

Regarding tourism, UNDP is exploring ways to support its transformation in Lao PDR. This includes strengthening small infrastructure development, culinary and agro-tourism, and handicrafts while enabling green and digital transition in these value chains. In practice this entails upgrading products (design, branding, certification) and services and developing the marketing and outreach related to them. UNDP is seeking partnership with Finnish companies to provide digital tools for smart tourism (e.g. tourism apps, AI-driven marketing, digital storytelling and immersive experiences), and to support capacity building on SMEs’ product development, branding, digital marketing and digitalising operations.

Collaboration opportunities in textile and childcare sectors

Silk production and textiles is a key sector for Laos that engages a large number of skilled rural women. UNDP works closely with silk production associations and local producer groups to elevate Lao silk as a sustainable and ethical textile on the international market. This includes strengthening the silk value chain and enhancing the brand identity. Additionally, UNDP supports local producers, artisans, and designers in gaining skills to create high-value products for niche markets and in facilitating connections with impact investors and international networks. UNDP is interested in collaborating with Finnish companies, and their sustainable fashion brands in particular, to transfer knowledge on standards such as ethical production, fair trade, sustainability, design, branding and marketing outreach and in accessing global markets.

Lastly, UNDP actively promotes gender parity in the labour force of Lao PDR. The organisation supports social enterprise models and community based childcare service models that provide high-quality, affordable early childhood care and education for families. Inspired by Kidogo micro-franchise model in Kenya, this initiative provides training and business support to help local women establish home-based childcare services. UNDP is interested in collaborating with Finnish companies that can offer technical expertise to develop the early childhood education curriculum and a business toolkit for micro-franchising the services, and to provide training for care providers.  

Finnpartnership invites interested Finnish companies to contact Huong Phan (huong.phan@finnpartnership.fi) about potential cooperation with UNDP in Laos. Finnish companies can receive Business Partnership Support for piloting with an ODA-eligible international organisation, such as UNDP. Financial grant can be awarded for a pilot or demonstration project related to a technology or solution implemented as part of the organisation’s activities. The funding amount ranges from EUR 15,000–400,000, and for projects in Lao PDR, Finnpartnership covers 50 or 75 percent of the approved project costs, depending on the size of the applicant company.

Images: UNDP Laos