When Nutrition International first approached the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in 2023, the goal was clear: support the government to improve nutrition outcomes at scale.  What wasn’t yet clear was how far that partnership would go.

Today, nutrition is being firmly embedded across Laos’ national planning landscape. Nutrition International’s engagement, supported by the Government of Canada, began with a midterm review of the National Plan of Action for Nutrition (2021–2025). It has since supported integrating nutrition into the National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2026–2030), which included a technical review to ensure no opportunities were missed to improve nutrition outcomes.

“This achievement is of particular significance. It creates the conditions for increased domestic resource allocation and international financing for nutrition, and it reflects the kind of systemic, sustainable change that the Government of Lao PDR has long sought to achieve,” shares Dr. Khamphouvane Phounesavath, Director of the Nutrition Centre in the Ministry of Health.

Nutrition International is now one of the government’s lead nutrition partners, supporting the revision of the National Nutrition Strategy and the development of a new National Plan of Action for Nutrition (2026–2030).

This progress didn’t happen overnight or by chance. Below, we explore five ways Nutrition International approaches partnerships and systems change to turn commitment into impact.

1. Start where impact at scale is possible

Making meaningful progress and systemic change requires identifying the right opportunity.

When deciding to engage in Laos, Nutrition International assessed countries in Asia where we didn’t yet work, using a set of criteria that considered stunting rates, a population of at least two million and the political economy. “We mapped all of the countries in Southeast Asia,” explains Susrita Roy, Nutrition International’s Regional Manager for Nutrition Governance in Asia. “Laos was one of five countries that met our criteria.”  The landlocked country, home to over seven million people, has an under-five mortality rate of 29 per 1,000 live births (World Bank, 2024), with 32.8% of children experiencing stunting (Lao Social Indicatory Survey, 2023) and 40% of adolescent girls and women between the ages of 15 and 49 experiencing anaemia in 2017. Rates of overweight and obesity are also rising.

The analysis went further, looking at the government’s receptivity towards collaborating with development partners to strengthen nutrition-related systems and coordination across sectors. Laos stood out again. Taken together, these factors suggested a strong opportunity for meaningful change.

2. Look for broad government commitment and shared vision

Creating impact at scale requires not just interest, but also ongoing, sustained government commitment and leadership.

In Laos, Nutrition International found a strong partner with a clear ambition. “We have similar goals,” explains Joyce Owigar, a Senior Technical Advisor at Nutrition International. Both the government and Nutrition International wanted to pursue programming in multisectoral nutrition and nutrition-sensitive social protection. “That shared commitment helped us to build a strong relationship.”

Crucially, this commitment has extended beyond a single institution. “We saw a lot of interest and demand from across the government agencies,” shares Chanhsy Samavong, Nutrition International’s consultant based in Laos. “It was not just the National Nutrition Centre,” he says, “but other ministries like Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. They were keen to work with Nutrition International.” This signaled that progress could move beyond pilots toward sustainable, systemwide change.

3. Listen to government priorities instead of proposing cookie-cutter solutions

From the outset, Nutrition International was intentional about listening first.

“We did not have specific technical assistance projects in mind when we entered Laos,” explains Roy. “We followed the government’s lead, and that gave the government the confidence that we were not there for us, but to support their goals.”

“When Nutrition International first engaged with the Ministry of Health in 2023, they demonstrated from the outset a commitment to working in full alignment with the government’s priorities,” Dr. Khamphouvane explains. “Rather than proposing predetermined solutions, they undertook a thorough consultative process to understand the challenges facing our national nutrition governance structures and designed their technical assistance accordingly.”

Nutrition International adopts a consultative approach from the beginning of work like this. “Our overall governance strategy defines the desired outcomes and scope of our work. We then listen closely to governments to understand their situation, long-term objectives and challenges,” shares Sergio Cooper Teixeira, Sr. Global Portfolio Director for Nutrition Governance at Nutrition International. “We shape a project together that addresses a structural gap that we know we have the expertise to address.”

4. Collaboration and partnership drive greater results

The team also consulted and collaborated with international development organizations already active in Laos, including UNICEF, the World Food Programme and the World Bank. “That willingness to collaborate with other development partners has improved the quality of the product,” says Owigar. “It is a very rich kind of partnership, and the final product is better because of it.”

Working collaboratively with different government agencies and development partners has enabled Nutrition International to meaningfully contribute to the government’s priorities and goals — and it has provided opportunities to advocate for even more nutrition programming. For instance, when it became clear that the nutrition component of the National Social and Child Development Policy needed strengthening, we leveraged our credibility and relationships to push for stronger commitments, helping to advance nutrition elements that were not there initially.

“Their support has helped us link nutrition more clearly with social protection and multisectoral coordination, especially through the development of the National Nutrition Strategy and the new National Plan of Action for Nutrition,” says Thipphasone Soukathammavong, Deputy Director General, Department of Planning and International Cooperation, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. “This collaboration has been practical, responsive to government priorities and important for moving from policy commitment toward implementation.”

Building and maintaining these partnerships requires time and thoughtfulness. “It’s not something that just happens,” shares Owigar. “You kind of build on it, step by step.” But the results make it worthwhile.

5. Invest in local expertise to navigate complexity

People — not just plans — are essential to systems change.

In Laos, Nutrition International has been purposeful about building a team with the skills, experience and local insight needed to navigate complex government systems. “This helped us build trust and engage the right actors within government,” shares Roy.

Local expertise is particularly important, because while international technical knowledge is valuable, it cannot substitute for deep contextual understanding. Practitioners embedded in the local context bring existing relationships with stakeholders and a clearer pathway for progress. “They have a very good understanding of the environment and relationships with the stakeholders,” says Owigar. “You can have all the technical expertise in the world, but if you don’t understand the dynamics of what is happening on the ground, you won’t be as successful.”

Looking ahead: From strategy to action

Once the National Nutrition Strategy and the new National Plan of Action for Nutrition are complete, the focus will shift towards supporting implementation: issuing government orders, building capacity and strengthening nutrition‑sensitive social protection systems already reaching families.

Together, these steps are helping Laos realize its nutrition commitments and bring the country that much closer to achieving its World Health Assembly and Sustainable Development Goals targets. They also demonstrate how trust, collaboration with local leadership and persistence can lay the groundwork for healthier lives today — and for generations to come.

As an expert ally to government, Nutrition International works with national and local governments, multilateral banks and regional bodies to leverage more funding for nutrition, and to ensure that those investments achieve the greatest impact. Learn more about our work in nutrition governance.

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