FAO in Lao People's Democratic Republic

Milestones

Innovation, digitalization & partnerships are central to ensuring food security, improving nutrition in the Lao PDR & worldwide with FAO

The Lao PDR has expressed its support for the FAO's Hand In Hand initiative at the 35th Session of the Asia and Pacific Regional Conference held virtually by the FAO and hosted by the Kingdom of Bhutan in September 2020

"Our Government of the Lao PDR is grateful for the opportunity afforded by the Hand In Hand Initiative that works to bring multiple players together to improve incomes and access to nutrition through innovative solutions." -  Vice Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr Linkham Douangsavanh addressing APRC35

"The point of these initiatives is to get the latest knowledge and tools into the hands of decisionmakers but also smallholder farmers, fishers, herders and foresters. We need to take full advantage of the digital age through innovative partnerships with national governments, farmers, the private sector, academia, NGOs and many others" - FAO Director General Qu Dongyu to APRC35, September 2020

Jointly developed with the Lao Government and other partners, the Country Programming Framework 2016-2021 (CPF) reflects relevant priorities in national development policies and programmes, including the Agricultural Development Strategy to 2025 adopted in 2015.

The CPF for Laos addresses four priority areas: (1) Fostering agricultural production and rural development; (2) Improved food security and nutrition, with special focus on the most vulnerable (e,g, poor women, food-insecure farm households; (3) Forests and other ecosystems are protected and enhanced; (4) Improving capacity to respond to food and agricultural threats and emergencies and the impact of climate change.