The objectives of the meeting included:
(i) Sharing the draft set of indicators collected for each component of the food system and the current status of the food system in the Mekong Delta region;
(ii) Discussing and gathering expert opinions to finalize the set of indicators describing the food system in the Mekong Delta.
Experts and researchers from relevant agencies associated with various components of the food system participated, including the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development, National Institute of Nutrition, General Statistics Office, Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Family Health International (FHI), and CIAT researchers.
During the meeting, Dr. Trương Thị Tuyết Mai Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), provided an overview of the National Action Plan for a Transparent, Responsible, and Sustainable Food System in Vietnam by 2030 (Decision 300/QD-TTg). She also discussed current issues in the food system related to health and nutrition and shared the plans and actions that the National Institute of Nutrition has implemented concerning Decision 300.
Next, a CIAT representative presented an overview of the food system's current status in the Mekong Delta region based on several key indicators and guided the discussion process (scoring criteria and proposals for additional indicators).
The results on the current status of the food system in the Mekong Delta highlighted several concerns, such as:
The food system is significantly impacted by external factors like climate change and increasingly concerning environmental issues.
Food production in the region remains stable, and food accessibility is relatively favorable, but health and nutrition issues persist.
Over the past 10 years, micronutrient deficiencies in children have improved, but overweight and obesity rates have increased across different age groups, particularly among children under 16.
Stunting remains an issue, and the overweight and obesity rate among adult males and females has tripled over the last decade.
The rate of preterm births and infants weighing less than 2.5 kg at birth is also on the rise, partly due to the impact of climate change. The rising incidence of gestational diabetes is another contributing factor to preterm births.
Regarding the draft set of indicators, the number is extensive and detailed, primarily based on data system reviews and surveys conducted by the General Statistics Office, Ministry of Health, and other accessible sources. This set of indicators will be revised and supplemented based on expert feedback during the discussion.
Following the presentations, participants discussed and provided input on the scoring tool used to select representative indicators for each component of the food system in the Mekong Delta region. The participants agreed that the proposed indicators should accurately reflect the issues and prioritize representativeness.
The discussion focused on the representativeness of the indicators and the need for additional indicators if necessary. Participants also proposed adding indicators across various specialized fields and adjusting indicator names for better accuracy. Furthermore, it was suggested that each component of the food system should have at least one representative indicator, and the number of indicators should be balanced across components.
At the end of the session, the CIAT research team committed to compiling the scoring results, adding any new indicators (if any), and sending the final version to the experts for feedback by December 2024.