Workshop on “Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture for Healthy Diets and Nutrition”

Under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, a three-day training workshop on “Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture for Healthy Diets and Nutrition” took place in Phonesavanh Xiengkhang. The workshop ran from 6 – 8 February and was supported by the European Union’s  Technical Assistance for Nutrition, in cooperation with the Netherlands Development Organisation and World Food Programme. It was facilitated by a representative of the Department of Rural Economics and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture of the National University of Lao PDR and national and international experts.

The workshop was chaired by the Mr Soulaphone INTHAVONG DDG of DoPC, MAF and co-chaired by Mr Saysamone Phalichanh, Director of the Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office of Xiengkhang.

Four provinces were targeted, Luangnamtha, Luangprabang, Xiengkhang, and Huaphanh and 7 Districts, Sing, Kham, Pek, Nan, Viengxay , Samneua , and Sopbao. The training workshop was attended by 37 representatives of Provincial and District Agriculture and Forestry Offices as well as Provincial and District Health Offices, who are also members of the Provincial and District Nutrition Coordination Committees.

The event was all about capacity-development and aimed to refresh and deepen the knowledge of provincial and district-level decision-makers and extension workers to guide the planning and implementation of Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture which can lead to improved diets and nutrition.

The workshop included the identification of opportunities for priority actions, understanding and overcoming obstacles, and project cycles within the context of provincial and district sector work plans.

"We now better understand the impact of agriculture for nutrition. This work is challenging and we all need to collaborate and work together,” said Ms. Bouakay Sivilay, from the Health Office of Sindh District , who also suggested that effective planning must  start at grassroots level,  as each community has its own specific nutrition needs.

Future steps to ensure and assist the transfer of priority actions into provincial nutrition development plans will further be defined. Watch this space for our next workshop covering Provinces and District in the South of Lao PDR

The workshop is financed by the European Union through the “Technical Assistance to the National Plan of Action on Nutrition” (TANPAN) project.

For more information visit: EU and Phosanakan Facebook Page, #EUinLaos