In 400 villages in the Northern provinces of Lao PDR (Oudomxay, Phongsaly, Xieng Khouang and Houaphan), the AFN project aims to contribute to reducing extreme poverty and all forms of malnutrition in the poorest communities. The development objective is to improve and diversify agricultural production and household nutrition to enhance life prospects.
Farmer Nutrition Schools (FNS), as part of the project, provide practical learning sessions aimed mainly at women to disseminate information about nutrition, menu planning, food preservation and processing, dietary diversity and nutrition-sensitive gardening. In order to apply the newly acquired knowledge from FNS sessions, WFP distributes cash grants, approximately USD 70 per participant that successfully completes the learning modules. These cash grants are used for small investments in home gardens, to cultivate nutrient-dense crops and raise small livestock.
