The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Friday December 15 it has signed a grant of 10 million U.S. dollars with the Lao government to strengthen responses to food security in Laos.

The ADB said the financing will help bring down the cost of essential farm inputs such as pesticides, fertilizers and machinery, and make them more widely available.

The grant will also support efforts to diversify the country's dietary preferences by encouraging fish as a regular food staple and source of protein, helping establish home gardens and clearing lands from unexploded ordnance to increase cultivation areas, the bank said.

"This grant financing provides vital support to address food security and nutrition challenges. It will help local communities respond to inflationary pressures through the provision of grants to farmers and the extension of services that promote climate resilient farming practices," said ADB Country Director for Laos Sonomi Tanaka.