SHiFT researchers participate in 1st International Conference on Green Transformation

Researchers from the CGIAR Research Initiative on Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation (SHiFT) will participate in the 1st International Conference on Green Transformation from October 24-25, 2024, in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.  

The green transformation refers to the shift toward environmentally sustainable practices, technologies, and policies in various sectors of society, with the goal of mitigating climate change, reducing ecological impacts, and promoting a more sustainable future. The conference has been organized by the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Viet Nam National University to connect and spread emerging research and methods while supporting the development of domestic scientific staff. 

Three members of the SHiFT leadership team – Inge Brouwer, SHiFT Lead; Mark Lundy, SHiFT Deputy Lead; and Michiel van Dijk, Lead of Work Package 4 (WP4) on trade-off scenario analysis were part of the scientific committee for Session 7 on agroecology and sustainable food systems. SHiFT’s involvement was by invitation from the Viet Nam Academy of Agricultural Science (VAAS), one of SHiFT’s Strategic Partners in Viet Nam.  

Inge Brouwer will chair a plenary session of keynote lectures alongside Prof. Mai Trong Nhuan from the Viet Nam National University. During Session 7, Brouwer will deliver a keynote lecture titled, “The power of diets – reverse thinking in sustainable food system transformation in Asia.” SHiFT researchers Michiel van Dijk and Marcos Dominguez Viera will present on “Food system transformation trade-offs in Vietnam: A scenario simulation study,” and Kim Maasen will present on “Characterization and determinants of dietary patterns of adolescents in Vietnam.” 

SHiFT’s active participation in the conference reflects its commitment to supporting food systems transformation in Viet Nam and contributing to the global discourse on sustainable healthy diets. 

The International Food Policy Research Institute and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT lead SHiFT in close collaboration with Wageningen University and Research and with contributions from the International Potato Center. SHiFT combines high-quality nutritional and social science research capacity with development partnerships to generate innovative, robust solutions that contribute to healthier, more sustainable dietary choices and consumption of sustainable healthy diets. It builds on CGIAR’s unparalleled track record of agricultural research for development, including ten years of work on food systems and nutrition under the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health.  

Header image: Rice-fields in a valley near Lao Cai in northern Vietnam. Photo by Tran Thi Hoa / World Bank from Flickr.