World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Life is not easy for the many poor farmers in the Luangprabang province of Lao PDR, but last year was especially difficult. Drought and rodents destroyed most of the crops in 120 villages, leaving more than 5,000 families without a harvest. Then, an infection killed most farm animals.

The communities were already very poor – their remote villages have limited infrastructure such as roads, health centres and schools, and most families grow food just to survive.

The government of Lao PDR asked WFP to intervene to support families until the next harvest which is due in November. The “lean season”, the months before the new harvest when food stocks run low, is often the most difficult time of year for poor families.

WFP coordinated with the Lao PDR government to distributed a two-month supply of rice and vegetable oil to the 4,300 people who were the most badly affected and were thus severely food insecure.

The distributions came during the rainy season, when the plight of these remote villagers are further complicated as roads are washed away or become impassable. WFP used small trucks, tractors and boats to deliver the food.

Tien is 27 years old, and has three daughters and one son. She and her husband usually grow vegetables to make a living. “During the drought and the pest infestation, my son got sick because we didn’t have good food to eat,” she recalls. “I’m so happy to receive this food so that my family will have enough to eat.”

This assistance to more than 4,300 people was funded by a generous contribution from the Government of Australia.