Figure 1. Ms. Bui My Binh shared Vietnam’s experience

Ms. Bui My Binh, from the International Cooperation Department (ICD) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, shared Vietnam’s experience in developing and implementing the National Action Plan on Food System Transformation towards Transparency, Responsibility, and Sustainability (FST-NAP), following Decision No. 300/QĐ-TTg issued by the Prime Minister on March 28, 2023. A key highlight was the establishment of the Partnership for Transparent, Responsible, and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation in Vietnam (FST-Partnership), officially signed on October 18, 2024, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (formerly MARD), the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and over 40 national and international partners. The partnership aims to create a multi-sectoral mechanism leveraging the strengths of various stakeholders, enhancing capacity in policy, investment, and research while implementing food system transformation activities, and mobilize resources for strengthening networks of suppliers while promoting responsible consumption practices. She also mentioned technical working groups, namedly Agroecology, Nutrition and Local Food Diversification, Food Loss and Waste, Responsible Distribution and Consumption, and Policy and Institutional Improvement, are established to drive forward the partnership’s objectives.

Figure 1. Mrs. Huynh Thi Thanh Tuyen, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT (left) and the IIRR and CARD team in Cambodia

Mrs. Huynh Thi Thanh Tuyen, Research Team Leader of Food Environment and Consumer Behavior (FECB) in Asia at the Alliance of Bioversity International and International Center for Tropical Agriculture (The Alliance), shared insights into the region’s nutrition-sensitive agri-food systems under the Work Package 2 of the Asian Mega-Deltas Initiative (AMD) in Vietnam and Cambodia. This work package aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of nutrition-sensitive deltaic agri-food systems and their impact on food security while identifying effective policies and interventions to promote sustainable nutrition-sensitive food production and consumption. Between 2022 and 2024, the initiative supported developing several knowledge products which aimed to provide evidence-based insights into nutrition-sensitive agri-food systems in the Mekong Delta region. In Cambodia, it involves the participatory process developing a guidance document, namely “Guidance for Designing Nutrition-Sensitive Agri-Food System Interventions in the Mekong Delta of Cambodia”, by the collaboration between the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) and The Alliance. It is currently in the finalization phase and going to be disseminated for validation and use by targeted users, including government institutions, NGOs, development partners, universities, research institutions, and other stakeholders engaged in food system transformation in the Mekong Delta in Cambodia. Collaborative research on climate mobility and nutrition-sensitive approaches in the Mekong Delta was also mentioned briefly. The insights gained from these initiatives aim to support evidence-based policymaking and intervention strategies in Vietnam and Cambodia.

The Future Forum: Sustaining Food Systems – Securing Futures reaffirmed the commitment of country representatives to transforming agriculture and food systems to be more resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and climate-smart. The discussions highlighted the critical role of strong institutions and effective governance in achieving sustainable food systems, emphasizing the need for enhanced multi-sectoral coordination and collaboration at both national and sub-national levels. Key priorities identified from the forum are promoting diverse and nutritious diets, raising awareness and reducing food loss and waste across the supply chain, fostering innovative solutions to influence food choices and farming practices, and leveraging digital technologies to improve decision-making, productivity, and market access.  

Looking ahead, the outcomes of the Forum will be advanced through regional and global processes, including the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) initiative, the Conference of the Parties (COP) on climate change, the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, and ASEAN platforms. These discussions and commitments will be reflected and echoed in global, regional, and national dialogues on agriculture, food systems, food security and nutrition, climate change, and sustainable development.