Page 15 - GUIDELINES FOR FOOD SYSTEM PROFILE DEVELOPMENT at sub-national levels in Vietnam

• Social and economic outcomes refer to social issues such as gender, equity,
and inclusion, as well as measures of economic performance. These include the
development of businesses beyond farming, employment, and income distribution
generated by activities throughout the food system.

• Environmental outcomes highlight the impacts of the system’s activities on water, air,
and land use, biodiversity, soil quality, resource utilization, and climate change.

2. WHY APPLY THE FOOD SYSTEM APPROACH?

Recently, the food system approach has become a priority for achieving desirable
outcomes in nutrition and health, socioeconomics, and the environment. The food
system approach is crucial for promoting sustainable healthy diets and for addressing
malnutrition, foodborne diseases, and other food-related public health issues (Alarcon
et al., 2021). It can be used to explore the root causes of existing issues and to
propose sustainable solutions throughout the entire food system. The food system
approach applies participatory tools to integrate various sectors, requiring dialogues
and collaboration among multiple actors and sectors to co-create meaningful outcomes
(Béné et al., 2024).

Many countries have recently integrated the food system approaches in their national
agendas to foster and navigate food system transformation. In Vietnam, the National
Action Plan on Food Systems Transformation towards Transparency, Responsibility, and
Sustainability by 2030 (NAP-FST) was approved by the central government through
Decision 300/QD-TTg dated March 28, 2023 (Government of Vietnam, 2023). The
Plan positions the transformation of the food system as being an interdisciplinary task,
requiring the participation and collaboration of actors from both the public and private
sectors across the entire food system. The food system transformation must align with
advancing agroecology, incorporating diverse societal and cultural values, enhancing
the competitiveness of agri-food actors, including smallholders, strengthening resilience
to shocks, elevating product reputation, and fostering well-coordinated and transparent
supply chains. The transformation seeks to boost income for food producers and
distributors while ensuring a nutritious, diverse and safe food supply for consumers.
Ultimately, the plan contributes to Vietnam’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for
2030, aligning with both national and global sustainability targets.

3. WHY DEVELOP FOOD SYSTEM PROFILES AT THE
SUB-NATIONAL LEVEL?

A sub-national food system profile assists local and provincial authorities and stakeholders
in comprehending the current state of the food system. It explains key aspects of the
system, such as notable features, trends, accomplishments, and challenges of each
system element. The profile provides information on system drivers, food supply chains,

Guidelines for food system profile development at sub-national levels in Vietnam 15