VIENTIANE – LAO PDR.  By the end of this week, the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Lao PDR in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare will have completed the first relief distributions in response to the widespread rodent outbreak in northern Laos. Beneficiaries in Pakbeng district of Oudomxay receive 30kg of rice each, with a second round of distributions planned for August 2009.

Next week, distributions will be expanded to reach affected households in Nga and Beng districts of Oudomxay province. The food will help them avoid further aggravation of their food security situation and hunger until the next rice harvest in September. Across the three districts, over 1,300 metric tons of rice will be distributed to 30,300 food-insecure people.

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