Context: The TANPAN project addressed the persistent challenge of maternal and child malnutrition in Lao PDR by targeting weaknesses in nutrition governance and coordination. Despite strong political commitment, limited institutional and technical capacity had hindered effective implementation of the National Plan of Action for Nutrition (NPAN).
Objectives: The project’s overarching goal was to reduce malnutrition by strengthening the institutional capacities of the National Nutrition Committee Secretariat (NNC-S) and its Technical Committee (TC). Specifically, it sought to (1) improve planning, budgeting, tracking, and reporting of nutrition actions within key sectors, and (2) ensure better alignment between the NPAN and sectoral plans and budgets.
Approach: TANPAN adopted a capacity-building and systems-strengthening approach, combining technical assistance, learning-by-doing, and multi-sectoral collaboration. It focused on evidence-based management, inter-ministerial coordination, and institutional learning to make nutrition planning more integrated and results-oriented.
Activities - Eight key activities underpinned the project:
Crosscutting actions (1–3, 8): institutional and capacity gap assessments, training programs, international exposure visits, and communication of lessons learned.
Output 1 activities (4–5): improved budget preparation and expenditure tracking for nutrition, and the creation of sectoral results frameworks, especially in agriculture.
Output 2 activities (6–7): enhanced multi-sectoral integration, monitoring, and reporting mechanisms to align sectoral actions with NPAN objectives.
Impacts: TANPAN strengthened coordination between government sectors, improved evidence-based planning, and enhanced accountability for nutrition financing and outcomes. By institutionalizing tools, guidelines, and cross-sectoral dialogue, it fostered a more coherent and sustainable national nutrition governance system, advancing Lao PDR’s long-term capacity to combat malnutrition effectively.