Tea industry development and land utilization along the China-Laos border: A case study of Komen Village in Laos

Existing problems in the developing countries include not only the lagging economic development but also those social instability and environmental degradation problems, such as the phenomenon of poppy cultivation and deforestation in the Golden Triangle region due to economic backwardness. It is of great research significance if the local natural resources can be effectively and efficiently employed in order to change their status of poverty. In the Southeast Asia, Laos belongs to developing country but with very affluent wild tea resources. This paper presents a tea development model based on the cooperation between China and Laos. By employing a case study in the Komen Village between Laos and China, an in-depth investigation has been conducted by starting the practical tea production project. By comparing the differences of the results, it is obvious to find out that significant changes occurred after the implementation of the tea development project and the changes in tea garden areas and the living standards of local residents. Finally, an improved economic model upon tea garden land utilization in Laos was summarized and the future challenges are analyzed on the basis. It is identified that through the cooperation and exchange activities between the developing region and developed region, benefits for a "win-win" situation can be achieved accordingly. The findings can provide useful reference to the economic development of similar areas of Laos and other developing countries.