The Plain of Jars is an acid, infertile savannah grassland covering an area of about 60,000 ha in the western region of Xieng Khouang Province, northeastern Lao PDR. In this ecology, farming systems are mainly based on lowland rice cultivation and extensive livestock production. An increase in rice production and intensification of the livestock industry are two key components in the Lao government's poverty alleviation strategy for this area.