Food, Land, and Water (FLW) policies and institutions in Lao PDR

Inphonephong, Souphalack; Dubois, Mark; Kotchofa, Pacem

Food, Land, and Water (FLW) policies and institutions in Lao PDR

Autores

Inphonephong, Souphalack

Dubois, Mark

Kotchofa, Pacem

Editor

International Water Management Institute
CGIAR Policy Innovations Program

Descripción

The Flagship Report on Food, Land and Water (FLW) Policies and Institutions in Lao PDR examines the governance and policy coherence of FLW systems in Lao PDR. The report was conducted from late 2023 to 2024 through i) a comprehensive desk review of national policies, legal frameworks, ministerial reports, and international assessments, and ii) key informant interviews with 24 policymakers, government officials, researchers, and representatives from international organisations and farmer organisations. The coherence assessment was based on policy designs and implementation impacts across five thematic areas, including food security and nutrition; poverty reduction and livelihood; gender, youth, and social inclusion; climate adaptation and resilience; and environmental health and biodiversity. Findings were classified through normative, horizontal, and vertical coherence as follows:  • Normative Coherence: Policies align with national development goals. However, gaps remain, particularly in integrating gender and social inclusion. Furthermore, while policies recognise the importance of climate adaptation, few provide concrete mechanisms for integrating climate resilience across FLW governance structures.   • Horizontal Coherence: While some policies reference each other, there is limited practical coordination.   • Vertical Coherence: There is significant disconnect between national policies and local implementation. Ministries develop policies, but district and provincial authorities often lack the financial and technical resources to execute them effectively.  Key areas for further discussions and improvements in building policy coherence are associated with different issues, i.e., the need to enhance cross-sectoral coordination to oversee FLW policy integration and resolve conflicts.