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Community Livelihood Enhancement and Resilience (CLEAR+)


Switzerland partners with the Lao Government and the World Bank to support communities most at risk from climate and economic shocks and promote sustainable rural development. The initiative builds climate-resilient infrastructure, promotes sustainable farming, and empowers communities to plan and manage local solutions. By directly supporting subsistence farmers, livelihoods and food security in some of Laos’ most disadvantaged districts will be strengthened.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Laos
Disaster Risk Reduction
Inclusive economic Development
Agriculture & food security
nothemedefined
Rural development
Food security policy
01.07.2025 - 31.12.2028
 CHF  7’250’000
The project in brief
Background Lao PDR is increasingly vulnerable to the accelerating impacts of climate change, posing significant risks to rural livelihoods that sustain over 60% of the population. Communities, particularly subsistence farmers, women, and ethnic minorities are highly vulnerable to floods, droughts, landslides and crop failures, yet often lack the capacity to adapt. Also, the ongoing economic crisis erodes household coping mechanisms. Implementation of policy frameworks is constrained by limited financial resources and weak institutional capacities. Thus, there’s an urgency for localized climate change adaptation (CCA) at scale. To address these challenges, the Lao Government launched the CLEAR project in 2024 with a loan from the World Bank. CLEAR adopts an integrated, community-driven approach to strengthen climate-resilient infrastructure and diversify sustainable livelihoods in some of the country’s poorest, most climate-vulnerable districts. The Swiss support will contribute to deepen CCA in the target communities.
Objectives

To enhance resilience of vulnerable communities to economic and climate shocks, reduce poverty in rural and remote areas, and enhance food and nutrition security.

Specific Objective

To improve rural livelihoods and dietary diversity of targeted vulnerable communities.
Target groups

- 216,000 people in 450 villages across 14 vulnerable districts, primarily vulnerable communities with high poverty, poor nutrition and climate hazards. Non-Lao-Tai represent 75% of estimated beneficiaries.

- Authorities of targeted districts: their capacity will be developed to plan, implement, and monitor local development processes in partnership with the village communities.
Medium-term outcomes

1. Improved capacity of women and communities for local planning and participatory design, procurement, construction, and supervision of climate resilient infrastructure.

2. Climate resilient infrastructures are operational and supported by village maintenance groups.

3. Enhanced adoption of climate-smart agriculture and farming practices.
Results

Expected results:  

- Landscape-inclusive Village Development Plans developed in target clusters, integrating geospatial and local knowledge for risk-informed planning.

- Climate-resilient infrastructure built in target villages to protect assets, improve livelihoods, and strengthen resilience to climate shocks.

- Climate-smart agriculture and ecosystem-based adaptation scaled through training, extension materials, and village-level grants.

- Institutional and local capacities enhanced, through technical support and backstopping for locally led adaptation and coordination.


Results from previous phases:   CLEAR builds on over two decades of experience from the Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF), Lao PDR’s largest community-driven development initiative. With support from SDC totalling CHF 43 million between 2008 and 2022, the PRF has reached over 1.3 million beneficiaries, including 50% women and 85% ethnic minorities. Main adaptations from PRF include: moving closer to communities by a strong project team set up at district rather than province levels; reinforced consideration of climate resilience.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
International Financial Institution (IFI)
Private sector
Foreign state institution
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • Central State of South East
  • Foreign private sector North
  • SDC Field Office
  • United Nations Institute for Training and Research
  • World Bank - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  • − Financing agreement (main contract partner): Ministry of Finance of the Government of Lao PDR − Co-financing agreement: World Bank


Coordination with other projects and actors Local Development Governance (LuxDev), Flood Resilience in the Lower Mekong (People in Need), Sustainable Land Management & Investments for Climate-resilient Liveli-hoods (Univ. of Berne), Lao Upland Rural Advisory Services (Helvetas), Enhancing Systematic Land Registration (WB), climate-resilient school meals (WFP).
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    7’250’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    1’040’343 Total project since first phase Swiss budget CHF   0 Budget inclusive project partner CHF   15’500’000
Project phases Phase 1 01.07.2025 - 31.12.2028   (Current phase)
  • Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation DISASTER PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS
    OTHER MULTISECTOR
    OTHER MULTISECTOR
    Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation
    Disaster prevention and preparedness
    Rural development
    Food security policy
    Cross-cutting topics The project also supports partner organisation improvements
    Aid Type Mandate without fiduciary fund
    Project and programme contribution
    Project number

    7F11573

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Last update 29.07.2025