Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) |
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FAO at Work 2008 |
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Message from the Representative
2008 has been a very productive and challenging year for the Food and Agriculture Organization in Lao PDR and it is important to reflect and acknowledge the work to date.
This year, the Government of Lao PDR has made major breakthroughs on issues of Nutrition and Food Security, with assistance from FAO as the chair of the United Nations Working Group on Food Security and Nutrition.
Support to the Government and collective efforts resulted in a finalized National Nutrition Policy (NNP) at the end of 2008 and a pledge to continue working together to develop a National Nutrition Strategy (NNS) and National Plan of Action on Nutrition (NPAN).
FAO also supports the Government to improve its statistical capacity to assess the situation and outlook of rice to help reduce the vulnerability to the anticipated adverse effects of the fluctuation of food and oil prices, and the impact of the global financial crisis.
Lao PDR is part of a regional food safety project which supports the developing of a modern and science-based food control system to reduce food safety risks for consumers and promote economic development through increased agricultural and food exports that meet international sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
Another year of coordination, support and technical assistance on avian and human influenza pandemic was provided to the Government by FAO, further strengthening the preparedness capacity of the various Ministries. FAO has the main responsibility for support related to avian influenza in livestock and poultry.
One of the major challenges faced by all in Lao PDR was the extremely severe floods experienced in August.
The Government highlighted the need to rehabilitate the agricultural sector in the worst affected areas, reflecting its importance for local livelihoods and national food security. Throughout late 2008 and into 2009 FAO continues to provide support for the coordination and planning of the emergency operation and rehabilitation process.
Again in 2008, FAO acknowledges and thanks the government of Lao PDR for its commitment in assisting the people of Lao PDR to achieve human development and life beyond poverty.
In 2009 FAO will continue to fulfill its mandate to fight hunger, by giving a voice to the voiceless.
- Serge Verniau
- FAO Representative in Laos
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Towards One UN
The Joint Sustainable livelihoods Programme (JSLP), co-chaired by FAO and World Food Programme, is a joint programme currently being developed by the UN Country Team in Lao PDR.
In the spirit of the UN Reform and with the objective of ‘delivering as one’, the JSLP will bring together the experience and expertise of several UN agencies and one international NGO under one coordinated initiative.
Building on the Department for International Development (DFID) Sustainable Livelihoods Analytical Framework and Development Approach and applying a Rights Based Approach, there are three objectives of the JSLP.
Firstly, to improve the livelihood asset base of vulnerable target populations and enhance their resilience to shocks, through the provision of an integrated interagency livelihoods support programme.
Secondly, through partnership with the Government of Lao PDR, strengthen the capacity of provincial and district government staff and community members to establish and manage sustainable livelihoods programmes.
Finally, the JSLP will feed back to the provincial and national policy dialogue and decision making on sustainable livelihoods issues.
The formulation stage is currently being finalized and funds are being sought.
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Nutrition & Food Safety
FAO chairs the United Nations Working Group on Food Security and Nutrition, a technical working group that strengthens partnerships between the Government of Lao PDR (GoL), UN agencies, as well as other donors and stakeholders that share a strong commitment to work on food security and nutrition.
FAO supports the GoL on the overall development in the area of nutrition while placing special attention to the link between food security and nutrition, agriculture, environment, and sustainable natural resource management.
The situation in Lao PDR is alarming and has remained unchanged for the past decennium.
40% of children under five years continue to suffer from chronic malnutrition, denying these children the right to reach their full mental and physical potential. Many also have micronutrient deficiencies. In rural areas every second child is currently stunted i.e. too short for their age or chronically malnourished.
The GoL has now pledged to make nutrition central to development and to integrate food security and nutrition into the next National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) 2011- 2015.
FAO supported the making of the National Nutrition Policy (NNP) which was signed by His Excellency the Prime Minister on December 1st 2008. The GoL, UN, and other donors and stakeholders are committed to continue the work by developing a National Nutrition Strategy (NNS), a National Plan of Action on Nutrition (NPAN), and a National Nutrition Investment Plan (NNIP).
In 2009 several new projects strengthen FAO’s support to the GoL in the area of nutrition.
FAO will support the GoL in developing the National Nutrition Strategy and the National Plan of Action on Nutrition in a consultative process with 15 Ministries involved. Later, each agency or Ministry will integrate the commitments into their strategies, plans and budgets. FAO will also support the inclusion of food security and nutrition in the drafting of the next National Socio-Economic Development Plan.
Another FAO project will have capacity building at the national level at its core. Through trainings this project aims at creating a critical mass of Government officials familiarized with food security and nutrition in order to enable integrating food security and nutrition into national development policies and programmes, as well as to design, implement and monitor interventions at all levels.
The project will also provide technical assistance to national organizations to facilitate an integrated approach to improve the nutrition of poor households and communities through a combination of food-based approaches and nutrition advocacy and education.
Since 2005, FAO Laos has also been a part of a regional project improving food safety in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam.
The project provides support to the Government of Laos in the development of a modern and science-based food control system and successes include development a Food Safety Policy and a consequent Action Plan.
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Food Security
A project for strengthening capacity for statistical assessment of the situation and outlook of rice in Lao PDR project was formulated in May 2008 and approved by the Director General of FAO on 15 July 2008.
The national project will assist the Government of Lao PDR in strengthening its policy, planning and decision making processes, particularly in addressing the impacts of external shocks and other events affecting the agriculture sector.
The project concentrates on the assessment of rice situation and outlook, taking a statistics-based approach.
Project components include household and village surveys, rapid assessment of stock and marketing systems of rice and secondary data analysis.
This approach is envisaged to respond to the needs of government to attain a sustainable economic growth, meet the country’s food requirements, increase agricultural exports and supply raw materials for agribusiness development.
FAO is also providing assistance in formulation of an Agricultural Census in Lao PDR 2009-2010, which will provide comprehensive information on the structure of the agriculture sector and an insight into the food security situation.
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Avian Influenza
Throughout the seven confirmed waves of H5N1 epidemics in Lao PDR up to November 2008, FAO provided updated information, through the UN RC Office to the Government counterparts, UN Agencies, Bi-lateral organizations, Embassies and INGOs network, to coordinate the UN and INGO activities.
Since the establishment of a telephone hotline by the National Avian and Human Influenza Coordination Office, reports of poultry mortality have significantly increased and resulted in investigations and sampling in villages throughout the country.
FAO has provided support to provincial and district livestock offices in conducting regular active and passive surveillance.
An intensive training programme has been developed to train the Department of Livestock and Fisheries provincial and district staff in active surveillance and disease investigation as well as the Village Veterinary Workers at the community level, in disease recognition and reporting.
FAO is also supporting the strengthening of regional cooperation by facilitating the holding of and participating in regional meetings and workshops. Through a number of consultancies and workshops it has been providing input in the drafting of several decrees and the veterinary law. FAO is also working with the World Bank in the upgrading of the Laboratory of the National Animal Health Centre and the development of a veterinary curriculum for Lao PDR.
Since August 2007, FAO conducted a regular active surveillance programme in all 17 provinces concentrating on market and commercial farms in all high-risk districts.
The AI Programme reached more than 150,000 poultry farmers within the all country with the community awareness activities.
FAO also provided USD 350,000 worth of assistance to support laboratory activities.
FAO has furthermore conducted a study to assist the Government in assessing socio-economic context and assessing the potential livelihoods impacts of control actions. Additionally, training and equipment were given to staff at border checkpoints.
Three full-scale field simulation exercises were carried out in the provinces of Luang Prabang, Oudomxay and Houaphan during the last year.
The FAO AI Programme has actively supported the Government during all HPAI outbreaks in reporting outbreak diseases to OIE as well as in implementing surveillance and control measures.
FAO developed a Information, Education and Communication materials adapted to poultry raisers in Lao PDR (some in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF, CARE and AED). These low-literate materials have been distributed in all provinces through public announcements in markets, radio and television and special events, like festivals.
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Integrated Pest Management
FAO assists the Lao Government in capacity building for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training, using the innovative and effective Farmers Field School approach. Thousands of Lao rice, vegetable and fruit farmers have benefitted over the last decade from participation in season-long and field-based training and action research activities.
These activities are aimed at the promotion of good agricultural practices, the reduction of use of pesticides in agriculture and improving rural community livelihoods.
As part of a new and multi-partner Pesticide Risk Reduction programme, funded by the Swedish Government, FAO continues farmer IPM training, with a fortified pesticide risk reduction curriculum, and works with the Lao Government on strengthening pesticide legislation and the development of a pesticide dealer licensing and inspection system.
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Fisheries
Through a partnership between FAO, World Wildlife Fund Lao, Mekong River Commission and the Department of Livestock and Fisheries, a national Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill has been drafted.
The Bill also reflects international fishery instruments and international commitments, with particular reference to the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. This comprehensive legal framework will go before the National Assembly in June 2009 for ratification.
The legislation will be used to mainstream co-management interventions and to better ensure the integration of fisheries considerations into agriculture policy planning and development by ensuring appropriate management and use of fisheries resources and rational development of aquaculture. This will form the basis of other development interventions which target natural resource management in the fishery sector in Lao PDR.
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Emergency Response
It was estimated that over 57 districts and 680 villages were directly affected by the August 2008 floods, causing hardship to over 200,000 people.
The Emergency Agricultural Response to Flood-Affected Farmers project, running from October to December 2008, and was aimed at rapid restoration of agricultural and livestock activities in food insecure households in the flood-affected provinces of Lao PDR.
Government requested emergency FAO technical assistance through the Organization’s Technical Assistance Programme to:
- provide urgent assistance to enable the flood-affected vulnerable farmers to produce food during the ensuing season (rice and vegetable production);
- provide coordination and technical support for the planning and implementation of immediate and medium term rehabilitation strategies and plans.
The project helped build the capacity within the line departments and other provincial and national authorities to develop livelihoodbased approaches for future disasters, and will be fully integrated in the national and provincial Government flood response process.
The year long Emergency Assistance to Support the Rehabilitation of the Livelihoods of Flood-Affected Families in the Lao PDR project reflects the longer term needs of flood affected people.
Two other emergency projects will follow in 2009, focusing on agriculture and fisheries rehabilitation.
2,278 vulnerable households in Vientiane and Bolikhamxay were provided with;
- over 32.2 metric tonnes of rice seed,
- 150 metric tonnes of mineral rock fertilizers,
- 50 tons of conventional fertilizers
- training
More information:
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Contact details of FAO representation in Lao PDR:
128 Phonexay Rd, P.O Box 1640, Vientiane
Lao PDR
Tel: (856-21) 413 205
(856-21) 414 503
(856-21) 414 501
(856-21) 450 455
Fax: (856-21) 414 500
Email: FAO-LA@fao.org
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