The launching ceremony held in Vientiane on June 9

(KPL) The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare announced to launch a response to the acute food insecurity experienced by vulnerable families in the Lao PDR. The response will provide crucial food assistance to target districts in four provinces during the rainy season when food stocks are depleted.

A total of 900 metric tonnes of rice will be distributed to 100,000 people in 16 districts of Oudomxay, Luang Namtha, Xekong and Saravan Provinces, thanks to donations made by the Republic of Korea, Ireland, and multilateral donors to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

With targeting based on the population's food security, malnutrition and poverty scores, as well as hunger hotspots identified by the Government and WFP high frequency food security monitoring, each person within the target locations will receive 8 kilograms of rice, enough to meet their essential food requirement for 21 days.

Mr Leepao Yang, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare

This assistance will help families bridge the gap during the lean season, when household rice reserves are often depleted prior to harvest. The response will also support families cope with high living costs resulting from rampant inflation rates and the economic fallouts of COVID-19 and Global 4Fs Crisis (food, fuel, fertilizer, feed). The food distributions in the target villages will commence in July as collaboration between the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Lao Red Cross, Swiss Red Cross and WFP.

“The food inflation rate has recently experienced a significant surge, with a 47% increase, the highest level since March 2000. The rice donation will bring great relief to those most affected by the persistently high costs of living, particularly the rising prices of food and fuel,” said Leepao Yang, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare.

Prof. Dr. Phouthone Muongpak, President of Lao Red Cross

"The Lao Red Cross is tasked to respond to humanitarian challenges amongst the population. We are proud to collaborate with WFP in responding to the urgent food needs of the affected population. Our utmost priority is to ensure the smooth implementation of the project by working closely with the Provincial and District authorities in registering the eligible households, as well as providing timely food assistance,” said Prof. Dr. Phouthone Muongpak, President of Lao Red Cross.

WFP Lao PDR Country Director and Representative Jan Delbaere

“As the world’s largest humanitarian organization, it is our mandate at WFP to ensure people have enough to eat in times of crisis. We know that currently, 60 percent of people in Laos are resorting to coping strategies to make ends meet, with 40% spending savings and 19% borrowing money to buy food. With 16% of the rural population now experiencing food insecurity, it is important that we act proactively with a critical inject of rice assistance to those that need it most, which we do by targeting the most vulnerable areas of the country.

This will not only help carry families across the lean season period but ensure households do not further deplete their assets and risk falling back into poverty, allowing families an improved pathway to recovery,” said WFP Lao PDR Country Director and Representative Jan Delbaere.

KPL