FAO Director-General supports Lao People’s Democratic Republic in its drive to achieve Sustainable Development Goals by 2030

19 February 2019, Vientiane – The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), officially a ‘Least Developed Country’ (LDC) can achieve middle income status with strong leadership, investments and partnerships, said QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The Director-General made the remarks during a meeting with H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of Lao PDR in the capital Vientiane.

Lao PDR has a population of roughly 7 million people with some 20 percent living below the poverty line, but the country has an ambitious plan to ‘graduate’ out of LDC status by 2024.

In order to do so, the Prime Minister said developmental support in the form of technology and innovation would help the people of Lao PDR strengthen agriculture and livelihoods.

QU Dongyu said the plan was impressive and, although it would not be easy to achieve, a step-by-step approach could assist in breaking free from the LDC status and achieve the SDGs by 2030.

“Organizing smallholders is empowering them, that’s a start,” said the FAO Director-General. “Prioritizing national and international standards (in agricultural production) would attract investments and also partnerships, such as FAO’s Hand in Hand initiative,” he added.

Landlocked but a safe port

FAO has a long and deep relationship with Lao PDR. FAO opened an office here more than 40 years ago. In order to move to the next level in agricultural and rural development, QU Dongyu proposed that, with strong national leadership, the country could transform its food systems along the entire value chain, a major move toward ending poverty and hunger in line with SDGs 1 and 2.

“Invest in value-added crops, focussing on one or two crops at a time, to gear up as first steps,” the Director-General advised. “Take advantage of e-commerce and digitization,” he added.

One major advantage is Lao PDR’s geographic location. While it is landlocked, it is also positioned between China, the world’s second largest economy, and the countries of Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand and Viet Nam, making it a major crossroads, or in other words, potentially an ‘inland port’.

“The government and people of Lao PDR have made great progress in recent decades on poverty reduction, food security and job creation for young people,” QU Dongyu said. “If you can move beyond LDC and toward middle-income status, the pace of development will speed up and FAO is willing to help you do that.”