The 6-Day Intensive Crop Forecasting Training in Laos was a follow-up training to the CM Box (Crop Monitoring Box) training held in Rome. The main goal was to train technical staff from different divisions in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) in agrometeorological crop monitoring and forecasting. This eases the load of the two key people who attended the CM-Box Training in Rome and helps establish an inter-departmental working group.

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

The nine trainees were mainly technical staff from various divisions and departments (meteorology, agricultural statistics, extension, research, information center) in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). Following the training, an interdepartmental working group was set up to:
- do agrometeorological crop forecasting; and
- produce agrometeorological bulletins.

Trainees learned to use the CM Box's tools to produce rice-yield forecasts for different provinces in Laos .

Emphasis was placed on:
- preparing maps and spatial statistics;
- analyzing meteorological data and deriving additional information; and
- collaborating on regular crop forecasts.