Drought Risk Reduction in Lao PDR: Actions and Issues

Lao PDR has a long way to go in addressing the drought risks substantially. Some of the issues needing immediate attention are as follows:
1. There is a need for promoting research, technical and practice-oriented, to understand the drought characteristics and addressing the drought risks at all level.
2. Prepare drought risk and vulnerability maps and establish a drought monitoring and early warning system that can help improve the drought preparedness. Combine it with a credible agro-meteorological information service that advocates farmers on best practices for a given location-specific short and medium range weather forecast.
3. In order to achieve the above, there is a need to strengthen the existing meteorological observatory network, including synoptic stations and rain gauges.
4. The role of village committees for disaster prevention and control in drought risk reduction need to be emphasized through appropriate capacity building measures including crop diversification.
5. Strengthen the financial infrastructure and related policy environment in Lao PDR for financial risk management instruments such as microfinance and risk insurance.