Hand In Hand Inception Workshop in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

The Minister, Phet Phomphiphak, made the remarks during the Asia-Pacific region’s first inception workshop of FAO’s global Hand in Hand Initiative, a country owned and led initiative, coordinated by FAO, and now moving forward in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The workshop served as an opportunity for international partners from Vientiane, Bangkok, Rome, New York and beyond to start working together formally. It also launched the initiative’s resource mobilization effort in earnest, as the operational phase begins.

“Hand in Hand’s matchmaking approach has brought together donors, private companies and international financial institutions to speed up action,” said Minister Phet Phomphiphak. “With strong partnerships and solidarity, we have an opportunity to implement national agricultural policies and consolidate LDC (Least Developed Country) graduation.”

Hand in Hand aims to unlock the country’s agricultural potential to eradicate poverty, hunger and malnutrition, as part of a broader effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. As such, it supports the Government’s Agriculture Development Strategy to 2025 and Vision to the year 2030.

“When we talk about building back better and greener, we must focus on rural areas, where food and agricultural systems are concentrated,” said Maximo Torero, FAO’s Chief Economist. “It’s where the majority of the world’s poorest people live and work as smallholder farmers. So rural development is key, and the Hand in Hand Initiative is designed to do it.”

Hand in Hand activities have been ongoing for more than six months. They include territorial-level analysis to identify target areas, value chain analysis, and the launch of a joint task force between FAO and the Government on China-Lao railway development. The railway is expected to build better transport networks and improve access to national and international markets from rural areas.

The Hand in Hand Initiative focuses on enhancing agricultural productivity to improve nutrition and raise rural living standards. The programme uses geospatial, bio-physical and socio-economic data and analysis to identify subnational territories where innovative solutions and investments in agri-food systems and rural development can have transformative impacts.

In the Asia and Pacific region, FAO is also supporting governments through the Hand in Hand Initiative in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu by supporting them to develop programming, investment and partnerships for agricultural transformation. The ultimate aim is to reach the least developed areas and raise incomes and food security for all.

About the Hand-In-Hand Initiative

The Hand in Hand Initiative is evidence-based, country-led and country-owned to accelerate agricultural transformation and sustainable rural development to eradicate poverty (SDG 1) and end hunger and all forms of malnutrition (SDG2). In doing so, it contributes to attaining all of the Sustainable Development Goals. The initiative prioritizes countries where national capacities and international support are the most limited or where operational challenges, including natural or man-made crises, are the greatest.

For more information, visit: http://www.fao.org/hand-in-hand  For media enquiries, please contact:

FAO Representative Office in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Steven Cleary  steven.cleary@fao.org 

FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific: Allan Dow allan.dow@fao.org