Laos launches project to support buffalo milk to improve child nutrition

The Poverty Reduction Fund recently launched a pilot project to support farmers in northern Laos' Huaphan province to produce buffalo milk as part of efforts to improve child nutrition in northern Laos.

The pilot is part of a program with a focus on basic infrastructure, nutrition support and income generation activities for food producers, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Monday.

It is being supported by a 22.5 million U.S. dollars loan from the World Bank with the third phase running from 2020-2024 under the National Nutrition Strategy.

The project will be launched in 12 target districts in northern Lao provinces of Phongsaly, Xieng Khuang, Huaphan and Oudomxay, which suffer from child stunting levels above 40 percent.

Poverty Reduction Fund officials said the average height of children under five compared to their age and weight in these provinces is below national standards.

The project has looked for local food sources for nutrition improvement, with milk produced from buffaloes rich in proteins, carbohydrates, energy, zinc, and Vitamin A.

These protein sources are enough to develop children's physical health, especially those aged 12 months and up.

According to data from the Poverty Reduction Fund, malnutrition rates continue to be stubbornly high: about 19 percent of Lao citizens are undernourished, and 33 percent of children under the age of five are stunted.

Reducing malnutrition is a key for boosting human capital in Laos and ensuring that young adults enjoy productive and fulfilling lives, according to the World Bank.

The Poverty Reduction Fund, established in 2002, has become part of the Lao government's Nutrition Convergence agenda, with a renewed focus on reducing stunting among children.

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