Vientiane (Vientiane Times) - Lao government officials and development partners gathered in Vientiane on Friday to discuss the findings of research focused on experiences with nutrition-sensitive agriculture in the country.

With the Lao PDR facing the major challenge of reducing malnutrition that affects around 35 percent of its population, nutrition-sensitive agriculture could play a key role in efforts to find a solution. Experts believe malnutrition could be much higher in inaccessible upland areas of the country.

The agriculture sector has reflected on its role in combating malnutrition in the Lao PDR through a detailed study led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) that focused on recent experiences with nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) in four provinces. These efforts were supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the European Union and Helvetas-lnter cooperation.

The Deputy Director General of the Department of Planning and Finance in MAF, MrSavanhHamephom, said "As our country increasingly produces agriculture products for sale domestically and internationally, we have to be sure that nutritious and diverse foods are accessible to our people to remain healthy and strong." The research showed that increased income from commercial agriculture is not sufficient to improve nutrition, and it is critical that smallholder farmers produce and access diverse and nutritious foods. Farming communities continue to rely on collected and gathered foods from forests, fields and rivers, which meet 20 percent to 40 percent of their food needs. These communities are increasingly purchasing food with income from farming, but diverse and nutritious foods are not always available to buy in rural communities.

The role of women in providing nutrition for their families has never been more important, and yet they are increasingly occupied with commercial agriculture production tasks. The challenge remains how development can help reduce women's time demands and help them be central in decision-making to address a family's nutrition needs. In addition, agricultural activities need to be coordinated with complementary activities for processing and preserving food. Because farmers are increasingly earning money from commercial farming, sustainably addressing Lao's nutrition challenge must involve looking at the entire system from production, through marketing to sale of nutritious, diverse foods for access by all communities.

The FAO Country Representative, Dr Stephen Rudgard, highlighted the importance of the issue in Laos. "We have seen countries the world over struggle to meet both economic development goals and ensure healthy food is accessible for all people. FAO's mission is to support the development of productive and healthy food systems. In Laos, this will help people have healthy food and equitably grow the economy, meeting key g overnment development goals."

The Country Director for Helvetas-lnter cooperation, Ms Celestine Kroesschell, spoke about how the INGO community has worked hard to contribute to the nutrition challenge in Lao PDR: "Through multiple food security and nutrition projects, we have been working together with the government and with local organisations such as women's groups to ensure farming communities access the diversity of foods they need to be healthy and grow strong, with a special focus on women's empowerment."

ByTimes Reporters
(Latest Update August 21, 2017)