Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Agriculture 2014-2016 (Lao People’s Democratic Republic)

The overall strategic direction of this Plan of Action for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) in Agriculture is to promote an enabling environment for DRRM in agriculture based on legal instruments, policies and frameworks, as well as strengthened institutional capacities to implement these tools in agriculture, livestock, fisheries/aquaculture and forestry for food and nutrition security. One key component of the strategic direction for comprehensive DRRM in agriculture is to encourage a supportive working environment among all involved key stakeholders through dynamic partnerships between politics, science, civil society and the private sector. This Plan of Action therefore addresses donor agencies and development partners to assist Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the National Disaster Management Office in building the institutional capacities and technical skills needed to move towards proactive DRRM in the agricultural sector, linking to Climate Change Action (CCA) and Natural Resources Management (NRM). 

The Plan of Action on DRRM in Agriculture is intended to support this future direction. It provides a road map for MAF and key partners to operationalize the process towards a proactive approach in managing natural hazards and risks by emphasizing the benefits of mitigation, prevention and preparedness in both short-term (NRM) and long-term (CCA) planning. More concretely, the Plan of Action has consolidated identified needs and priorities for the integration of enhanced DRRM into specific actions for the agricultural sector. The plan proposes a range of key areas of work, and within each of those, puts forth a cluster of priority activities that are likely to show immediate impacts and help reduce the risks and exposure of vulnerable people and assets to damage and losses, or address the underlying aspects of vulnerability.