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Fifty years ago, Laos faced severe food security challenges. Predominantly rural, a significant portion of the population lived in remote areas with limited access to essential services.
Over the past decades, WFP has contributed to the improvement of the nutrition outcomes in the Lao PDR reducing the stunting rates from 48 % in 2006 to 32.8 % in 2023
By Soukthavy Thephavong
(KPL) Fifty years ago, Laos faced severe food security challenges. Predominantly rural, a significant portion of the population lived in remote areas with limited access to essential services.
Heavy reliance on rice cultivation resulted in a lack of dietary diversity, leading to widespread malnutrition and high rates of micronutrient deficiencies.
In 1975, the World Food Programme (WFP) established its presence in Laos to support the government's vision of a prosperous nation with a healthy population, free from food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty.
WFP aimed to address the urgent need for improved food security and nutrition, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Initially, WFP focused on delivering services to alleviate immediate food insecurity and malnutrition, gradually shifting towards building the capacity of institutions and communities for sustainable solutions.
Achievements
Since initiating the mid-day meal programme in 2014, WFP has provided technical and financial support to expand the national school lunch programme. To date, WFP has handed over approximately 1,500 schools to the government and continues to offer technical support to strengthen national capacity for sustainable implementation.
The international organisation has been instrumental in creating an enabling policy environment, including the endorsement of the Prime Minister's decree promoting the national school lunch programme, developing food baskets, and advocating for increased government budget allocation. Efforts towards the National Assembly and the Government resulted in raising the budget from 1,000 LAK to 5,000 LAK per child per day.
Through various interventions, over the decades, WFP contributed to the improvement of the nutrition outcomes in the Lao PDR reducing the stunting rates from 48 % in 2006 to 32.8 % in 2023.
WFP will continue its agriculture interventions in over 20 districts, supporting vulnerable households in diversifying agricultural practices and improving nutritional outcomes
WFP has supported the government in strengthening early warning systems and minimizing the impact of extreme climate events through anticipatory and early action. WFP swiftly responded within two weeks to assist communities in Luang Namtha Province affected by floods with food assistance and later with and cash assistance.
In an interview to Lao journalists on Tuesday, Marc-André PROST, World Food Programme Country Director and Representative to the Lao PDR highlighted the importance of building national capacity and ownership for sustainable programme implementation, the need for a supportive policy environment to ensure long-term success and the value of community involvement and contribution to enhance programme sustainability.
Innovative Strategies
WFP is integrating nutrition into various programmes such as school feeding, disaster risk reduction, and social protection, promoting a comprehensive community-based approach that challenges harmful beliefs and behaviours while improving access to nutritious food.
Additionally, WFP will continue its agriculture interventions in over 20 districts, supporting vulnerable households in diversifying agricultural practices and improving nutritional outcomes.
Mr. Marc-André PROST, World Food Programme Country Director and Representative to the Lao PDR gives an interview to local media in Vientiane on March 18, 2025
“These activities will be enhanced by incorporating climate-smart agriculture and gender dimensions through the Gender Action Learning System,” said Prost.
WFP plans to conduct qualitative studies using innovative methodologies to understand the psychological and emotional drivers of unhealthy diets, informing a SBC strategy. Collaboration with other UN agencies will support the Lao PDR government in developing policies and regulations, including taxes on unhealthy ingredients and bans on sales and marketing in schools.
Fortification Initiatives
Rice fortification will be a key initiative to combat micronutrient deficiencies. A new project under the South-South Collaboration, supported by the government of India, will lay the foundation for further developing fortification in the Lao PDR by focusing on policy support, capacity building for the private sector and laboratories, and demand creation.
Cash for nutrition is one of the effective measures to fill the affordability gap and enable the nutritionally vulnerable population diversify their diets and improve the nutrition outcomes.
“WFP is committed to supporting the Lao government and its people in achieving their nutrition and food security goals. Partnerships are essential for making a meaningful impact,” said Prost.
WFP’s programming has evolved from direct implementation to supporting the development of national capacities. Daily collaboration with community leaders, district and provincial officers, ministers, donors, research institutes, and NGOs is crucial for designing innovative solutions to food insecurity and malnutrition.
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