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Synopsis (short abstract)
At the request of the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, a joint FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) visited the country from 7 to 21 December 2024. The objectives of the CFSAM (henceforth referred to as the Mission) were to estimate staple food crop production in 2024, assess the impact of multiple flood events and other factors affecting the agriculture sector, determine cereal import requirements for the 2024/25 marketing year (September/August) and evaluate the severity and magnitude of acute food insecurity. The Mission identified a broad set of key measures to address the urgent needs of small-scale farmers impacted by weather hazards, providing recommendations to support a sustainable increase in small-scale farmers’ agricultural production and proposed interventions to address acute food insecurity. The Mission provides a comprehensive set of recommendations to support sustainable growth in the agriculture sector and recovery in the regions impacted by weather shocks. The Mission also outlines a number of measures to address the acute food insecurity situation. The Mission findings highlight that limited economic access among vulnerable households to meet basic needs, coupled with the impact of extreme weather events, are key drivers of acute food insecurity in the country.