PROJECT TITLE

Integrated Food Systems and Climate Resilience Initiative in Lao PDR

Lao PDR’s agri-food system is highly vulnerable to climate change, relying heavily on rain fed agriculture and exposed to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and increasing climate shocks. Smallholder farmers, youth, and ethnic communities face persistent malnutrition, limited access to financial services, and fragmented policy support. A recent institutional reform merging the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment creates an opportunity to align food, climate, and biodiversity agendas. The Joint Programme strengthens governance, consolidates traditional knowledge with climate smart practices, empowers youth, and improves financial literacy to bolster climate resilient livelihoods across Luang Prabang and Oudomxay provinces.

• Strengthening youth leadership and community engagement to support climate‑resilient food systems.
• Documenting and integrating traditional ecological knowledge with climate‑smart agriculture for improved nutrition and production.
• Enhancing farmers’ capacity to understand and manage climate‑related financial risks, improving inclusion in financial services.
• Building provincial and national coordination platforms to align food, climate, and biodiversity actions under the Convergence Action Blueprint.

Ministry of Agriculture and Environment; provincial authorities of Luang Prabang and Oudomxay; local governments; Lao Women’s Union; Lao Farmers’ Network; financial institutions; private sector actors.

• Active youth networks championing nutrition and sustainable food systems.
• Knowledge systems capturing traditional practices and integrating them into provincial planning.
• Climate risk education tools, early warning systems, and financial literacy modules for farmers.
• Operational multi‑stakeholder coordination platforms enabling harmonized planning and resource alignment.