26 September 2010

Vientiane, Lao PDR: Lao People’s Democratic Republic has one of the highest rates of malnutrition for children under the age of five in South East Asia. 40 per cent of the children are chronically malnourished, the most common types being protein and energy malnourishment. But people also suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, such as vitamin A, iron, iodine and vitamin B1.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Laos has made improving nutrition a priority. This involves policy level support to the government in designing a National Nutrition Policy, a National Nutrition Strategy and a National Plan of Action on Nutrition. In 2010, FAO wanted to include a more practical dimension in its nutrition work through two projects: capacity building for national, provincial, district and community levels, and promoting edible insects, which have been found to be rich in protein and nutrients.

"Insects as human food is not anything new to the world, however as to our knowledge this is the first time that the UN is acknowledging this potential with concrete action," said Larissa Bruun, a UNV volunteer in charge of advocacy and communication activities.

Preliminary results of a recent nationwide survey show that insects are consumed by up to 95 percent of the Lao people and insects are an essential part of the diet; especially during time of food shortage, in some parts of the country.

"However, this does not mean that they are already being used in the most ideal way to complement the diet for protein and micronutrients," Jaakko Korpela, a UNV volunteer who is the food safety focal point, explained.

The promotion is about using culturally acceptable, indigenous foods as a way of improving food security and also fighting child malnutrition especially. "For example Western and Lao food restaurants are currently mushrooming in the capital Vientiane, but they rarely include insects on their menus," said Ilari Sohlo, a UNV natural resource management advisor.

Insects are the first step; FAO will also work with indigenous, wild plants in the future. FAO believes that capitalizing on the indigenous consumption of edible insects and promoting them as a means of enhancing the diet is a sustainable way to combat chronic malnutrition, increase food security, and create new income generation opportunities.

"People can make a living out of either selling or farming insects," said Ilari, "For example, by raising crickets in cylinders and feeding them just like livestock, but with a much lower environmental footprint."

Ilari Sohlo, Larissa Bruun and Jaakko Korpela from Finland, and their Danish colleague, Rebecca Host-Madsen, are all UNV volunteers supporting this groundbreaking FAO initiative.

"Having this additional human resource of the four UNV professionals has made it possible for the office to react quicker in having the new project operational, and also to have an ambitious project that can work on the whole scope from communications and sustainability to food safety and processing to mention a few," says the FAO Representative to Lao PDR, Serge Verniau.

But it’s not only FAO or the Lao people that benefit from the work of the UNV volunteers. They also have broadened their own experiences and perceptions of food.

"Insects definitely didn’t belong to my plate before experiencing them in Laos," Jaakko said. His colleague, Ilari, agreed with him citing an experience of eating an insect taco for the first time.

"In the end it does not make a difference if it is insects or beef that is ground into minced meat," he added.

As for Larissa, it is the nature of the project: "This work is really the kind of development I truly believe in, it is working with an indigenous solution. We are not suggesting anything new, we are simply saying that if the rich, local food base in Laos is cared for and used in the right way to complement the diet, it can make a difference for the children suffering from energy, protein and some micronutrient deficiencies."

See Al Jazeera’s "Edible bugs enrich Laos diet" video report

See GlobalPost’s "Gourmet Grasshopper: A growing market for eatable insects …" video report