Initiative:

Sustainable Healthy Diets

Where we work: Vietnam

Vietnam aims to transform food systems in a transparent, responsible, and sustainable manner. The country was an active participant in the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) dialogues at the Ministerial and subnational levels. The new National Action Plan for Transparent, Responsible, and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation (2022–2030) was a direct output of this process. Sustainable Healthy Diets is working with the emerging multi-stakeholder platforms in Viet Nam in order to support the planning and implementation of specific activities under the five action tracks.

In 2022, Sustainable Healthy Diets is beginning primary data collection in three sites to characterize food environments and dietary patterns, and identify micro, small, and medium enterprises. This work will build understanding of how food consumed by marginalized populations enters food environments and of the barriers and constraints faced by actors as they deliver sustainable nutritious foods and provide decent employment opportunities.

Initiative researchers are conducting activities to inform a baseline assessment of Vietnam’s food systems, including a description of the current actors, their agendas and narratives about their food systems, and their perceptions of the need for transformation.

Sustainable Healthy Diets is developing connections with existing networks and discussing with stakeholders how its work can add value and contribute to activities, capacity development, and other multisectoral actions supporting food systems transformation. The Initiative is offering an e-course on food systems governance, which will soon expand to an interactive learning and exchange platform and resource to promote learning and address country-specific capacity needs.

For more information about the Sustainable Healthy Diets Initiative’s work in Vietnam, please contact Tuyen Thi Thanh Huynh, Country Coordinator, T.Huynh@cgiar.org, Marion Herens, Work Package 5 Lead, Marion.Herens@wur.nl, or Mark Lundy, Work Package 5 Co-Lead, M.Lundy@cgiar.org.

Read about the Initiative’s work in other phase 1 target countries: