In recent years the economy of the Lao PDR has enjoyed favourable annual growth rates of 7 – percent, based largely on
agricultural production with contributions from hydropower and mining activities. This has been a period of strong economic growth but also a period in which the natural resource base has been undermined. Examining the statistics for nutritional status over the past ten years indicates that there have been some improvements from 2000 to themost recent survey in 2006