23/10/2024 Vientiane Capital, Lao People's Democratic Republic –Department of Social Welfare of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MoLSW) joined hands with the Department of Livestock and Fisheries of the ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), hosted a workshop on the review of “Flood Anticipatory Action Protocol (AAP) Activation” on 23 October 2024 in Vientiane Capital. 

The workshop was part of the regional project ‘Anticipating the risks of La Niña: Flood and cyclones in Asia-Pacific’, funded by Government of Belgium through FAO’s Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation (SFERA).

This post-activation review workshop aimed to assess the two consecutive activations of the flood AAP on 12 and 18 September 2024, in Savannakhet, and gather learning on what worked well and what did not in the flood AA delivery, as well as on its immediate impacts—which will feed the updating of the flood AA Protocol and finalization of the Guideline for Managing Livestock in Flood Emergency, developed to support the AAP.

In the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, on 12 September 2024, informed by the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), the FAO Lao PDR activated the first Flood Anticipatory Action (AA) Protocol, on a no-regret basis, with a second activation on 18 September 2024 due to increased flood risks associated with Tropical Cyclone 19W. These consecutive activations were made possible through strong collaboration with and leadership of central and local governments in Savannakhet province. 

The interventions helped 15 at-risk communities in Champhone, Songkhone, and Xonnabouly districts, providing early warning messages and equipping 4,000 households with water-tight drums to protect valuable assets and agricultural inputs in advance of a shock. The communities also received training on livestock evacuation and flood preparedness, with the “Guideline for Managing Livestock in Flood Emergencies” recently developed serving as a key resource to support in training, including identifying safe pooling areas for livestock and preparing “Go-bags” and locally available animal feed.

 During the workshop, Mr Souphonexay LORPHENGSY, Deputy Director General of the Social Welfare Department, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, as the co-chair, highlighted that “The initiative has been carried out by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare in collaboration with FAO. The review of flood activation in Savannakhet is crucial for deriving insights and learning to further enhance and potential scale up of flood Anticipatory Action in Lao People's Democratic Republic.”

“Previously, there was no dedicated guideline for managing livestock during emergencies. The Guideline for Managing Livestock in Flood Emergencies, developed through this project, represents a groundbreaking resource to help vulnerable communities protect livestock, mitigate flood impacts, and enhance food security”, added, Dr Phanthavong VONGSOMPHAN, Deputy Director General, Department of Livestock and Fisheries, the co-chair. 

Key outcomes from the workshop showed that there is a need to revise the flood AA trigger points, using a ‘multi-threshold approach’—one for the preparatory phase and another for actual activation phase. It also requires a refinement of the AA selection, tailored to the local needs. Additionally, feasibility studies are being considered to extend anticipatory action within Savannakhet and other northern provinces.