Government and FAO officials gather for the launch of the rural development project.

Govt, FAO partner to strengthen rural livelihoods

Rural communities in Laos can look forward to a better standard of living thanks to support from Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), which has launched a project titled “Enhancement of Livelihood Resilience in Rural Areas”.
The project agreement was signed by the government, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and FAO. The signing was witnessed by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Linkham Douangsavanh.
The project builds on the success of the previous phase, “Assistance for Smallholders and Socially Vulnerable to Preventing the Spread of Covid”, which took place from April 2021 to November 2022 with funding from the Government of Japan.
During the first phase, FAO and the Lao government worked together to assist vulnerable smallholder farmers and local authorities in Luang Prabang and Oudomxay provinces.
The project focused on raising Covid-19 risk awareness, strengthening local capacities to manage related risks, supporting the most vulnerable and Covid-19 affected smallholder farmers to restore agricultural production and livelihoods, and facilitating the transformation towards more resilient food systems.
FAO Representative to Laos, Kyung-Mee Kim, said “The first phase of the project laid a strong foundation for our continued collaboration to empower smallholder farmers, strengthen value chains, and promote sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices.”
“We are confident that this new project will further enhance the livelihood resilience of rural communities and contribute to the overall development of the agriculture sector,” he added.
The new project will build on lessons learned and the strong partnership established during the first phase. It aims to continue empowering smallholder farmers, strengthening value chains, and promoting sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices to improve the food security and nutrition of rural communities.
Director General of the Department of Planning and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Boundeth Southavilay, said “The government is committed to working closely with FAO to combat poverty, ensure food security, and build the resilience of the rural population.”
 “This new project is a testament to our strong partnership and our shared vision for the development of the agriculture sector in Laos,” he added.
The project will be rolled out in various districts of Luang Prabang and Oudomxay provinces, targeting the most vulnerable and Covid-19 affected smallholder farmers, particularly women and young people.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update July 16, 2024)