World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Laos has some of the worst child malnutrition rates in the world – every second child under the age of five in rural areas is chronically malnourished, impacting their physical and mental development for a lifetime. Nutrition knowledge is central to tackle this problem, and WFP's innovative nutrition education programme - Feeding the Future - empowers communities throughout the country to improve their diets and ensure children grow up strong and healthy.

 A WFP-supported project to provide better HIV treatment and care in Lao PDR has received an award in recognition of excellent South-South Cooperation.

Nutrition is at the heart of the new Country Programme for Lao PDR approved by the Executive Board of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Rome during its Second Regular Session from 14 to 17 November 2011. The Country Programme details WFP’s projects to fight malnutrition in Lao PDR in the years 2012 to 2015. Read more

Many people in northern Lao PDR still face difficulties feeding their families throughout the year. WFP is currently supporting people in Oudomxay province through a Cash-for-Assets project to improve their food security and diversify their nutrition in the long term. These projects were recently completed, but the benefits are just starting to flow in.

Many women in remote parts of northern Laos wouldn't normally go for health checks, even when they are pregnant. But now, thanks to the food rations WFP is offering as part of a Mother and Child Health and Nutrition project, many more are attending the health centres and getting important health care for themselves and their babies.

Thousands of families in central and southern Laos will need both immediate and medium term assistance before the next rice harvest in October 2011. People who are already vulnerable to food insecurity after Typhoon Ketsana hit the region in 2009 were struck hard by a 2010 drought lasting throughout June and localized flash floods.

In Lao PDR, chronic malnutrition remains one of the major challenges for development, affecting nearly 300,000 children under five years of age. In rural areas, every second child is not getting the chance to develop to their full potential. With an innovative project called Feeding the Future, WFP is taking nutrition education to remote villages, teaching young mothers and other care-givers the importance of a complete and diverse diet.

WFP is providing emergency food assistance to families in southern Laos where Typhoon Ketsana – the same one that hit the Philippines on September 26 - has caused more severe floods, this time affecting some 250,000 people.

Laos is on track to meet targets on primary school enrolment and reducing child mortality, but stronger action is needed on reducing hunger, according to the latest Millennium Development Goals report on the Asian country.

Thirty million people assisted, 30 years of cooperation, US$30 million in donations - a photo exhibition held in Beijing offered a graphic chronicle of WFP's collaboration with the Chinese government in the fight against hunger and poverty.