Vientiane Capital, Lao People's Democratic Republic, 08 July 2024 – the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MoLSW) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a 1-day consultation workshop on the development of "Guideline for Livestock Management in Flood Emergencies", held at Crowne Plaza Hotel on the 08 July 2024. The event was well attended by key government stakeholders, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. 

Livestock is considered one of the key productive assets for Lao's agricultural community due to several factors, including its production value, live market value, utility in agricultural activities, and contribution to the owner's social status. With the increasing vulnerability of the community to disaster risks and climate change, the need to protect the agricultural sector has become more crucial and, conversely, more challenging due to the rising severity and intensity of disasters.

In Lao People's Democratic Republic, floods are one of the most common disasters reported, causing significant economic losses. Although disaster management can be approached in various ways, the most effective option is to enhance the capability of those at risk to prepare for and manage themselves and their community. 

By providing a stepwise approach with easy-to-use tools, the Livestock Management in Flood Emergencies Guideline is designed to increase the capability of local government officials to assess flood risk in their areas of responsibility. It aims to enable them to communicate effectively, create awareness among vulnerable populations, and plan early actions to mitigate flood impacts. Crucially, the guideline provides guidance and tools to assist local government officers in planning, preparing for, and responding to flood emergencies within their jurisdictions. While it references national-level emergency management arrangements, the primary focus is on the practical aspects of local government arrangements for managing livestock during flood emergencies.

While the guideline primarily serves as a complementary document to the Flood Anticipatory Action Protocol (AAP), recently developed by FAO in partnership with MoLSW, through its Pilot Programmatic Partnership (PPP) with FAO, the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) provided funding for the activation exercise as part of the "Increasing Capacities and Scale for Anticipatory Action including through Social Protection Systems" project, the guidelines also supports local government's annual preparedness and response plan with the aim to lessen the negative effects of a predicted flood on the agricultural assets, food security, and income of the communities.