Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Transforming the food system can help meet many of theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a community of experts whoare joining forces to confront challenges in Vietnam.

TheConsultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) – aglobal partnership that unites international organisations engaged in researchfor a food-secured future – led an online meeting in Hanoi last week, bringingtogether key people from state agencies, academia, NGOs, donor agencies andindustry to help address existing and emerging challenges and opportunities in Vietnam'sagri-food systems and inform policies and investments ahead of the UnitedNations Food Systems Summit.

Asworld leaders, movers, and activists prepare for the United Nations Food SystemsSummit (UNFSS) in September 2021, countries are gathering evidence andidentifying key solutions to pressing issues in their local food systems.

InJune, CGIAR centres participated in and contributed to a series of the Ministryof Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)-convened dialogues that areorganised at national and sub-national levels.

Theindependent dialogue on July 1 was another effort by CGIAR centres in Vietnamto enhance the awareness of key stakeholders engaged in the National FoodSystems Dialogue about the potential contribution of CGIAR to achieveresponsible, accountable, sustainable and resilient food systems in the country.

Thedialogue also seeks to facilitate conversations with partners to identify theway forward on how CGIAR and partners can work together to better address theneeds and priorities identified by national partners and policymakers forachieving sustainable and resilient food systems in the country. According toexperts, Vietnam's food systems are diverse and facing many challenges.

Globalclimate change forecasts and reality in recent years show that Vietnam is oneof the countries most heavily affected by the changing climate.

Vietnamneeds to take specific actions to promote cooperation, synergising with externalforces to support the formation and development of a smart and resilient foodsystems, ensuring food safety. Food security and nutrition is not only fornearly 100 million Vietnamese people but also contribute to ensuring world foodsecurity, especially in the context of the complicated development of theCOVID-19 pandemic.

CGIARhas been working extensively in various initiatives around Vietnam, rangingfrom agriculture, nutrition and diets, One Health and climate issues—and morerecently contributing to COVID-19 initiatives.

Tenout of 15 CGIAR are operating in Vietnam. Among those, the Alliance ofBioversity International and CIAT, the International Potato Center (CIP), theWorld Agroforestry (ICRAF), the International Livestock Research Institute(ILRI), WorldFish, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)contributed substantially to this dialogue.

DaoThe Anh, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS),said that research by CGIAR contributed to improving the sustainability of foodsystems of Vietnam by using a multidisciplinary and integrated approach.

JeanBalié, CGIAR regional director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, emphasisedthe significance of transforming agri-food systems in the region towardimproved environmental, economic and social sustainability as well asclimate-resilience.

“Theunified and comprehensive efforts of CGIAR in Vietnam aims to support thecountry to achieve this profound and urgent transformation of food systemswithin planetary boundaries while keeping sight of national socio-economicdevelopment targets,” said Balié.

StephanWeise, managing director for Asia of the Alliance said that now was the time towork across sectors and themes in an integrated manner at the local through tothe national level.

Alsolast week, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan attendedthe Country Leadership Roundtable on delivering action for food systems insupport of the UN Food Systems Summit 2021. 

Givinghis remarks at the online event, Hoan affirmed that Vietnam welcomed andactively responded to the call of the United Nations Secretary-General for theFood Systems Summit in 2021.

Vietnamlooked forward to contributing to the construction of the global food safetysystem as a “responsible, transparent, and sustainable” food provider country,he said.

Hoanintroduced three key initiatives that Vietnam wants to cooperate withinternational partners to improve the transformation of food systems in Asiaand the world. 

Firstly,Vietnam wants to promote connectivity among innovation networks in the countryand across the world. Vietnam hopes to become a food innovation hub in theAsian region. 

Secondly,Vietnam would strengthen digital technical applications to develop smartagriculture value chains which are sustainable and highly adaptive to emergingproblems. The country planned to make digital transformation a key mission inthe agriculture industry, engaging businesses and farmers to apply digitaltechnology in the production and agricultural service delivery.

Thirdly,Vietnam targeted to develop ecological agriculture production, ensuring thelinkage between producers and consumers as a vital requirement for foodsecurity.

 “Vietnamis committed to continuing its orientation towards large-scale, low-emissionagriculture and sustainable growth. We affirm our participation in the program“100 million farmers: transition to a net-zero and environmentally friendlyfood system” initiated by WEF,” the minister said. 

Accordingto FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, the food security issues in Asia as well asin the world have been hugely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Itwas necessary to include the poor in rural areas in development programmes aswell as build up a more inclusive and complete food system to providesufficient food for people. 

Transformationin agriculture and food production helps to better connect stakeholders,creating a mechanism to track and understand countries' progress in achievingthe development goals of the United Nations.

“Ittakes over eight more years to rush the goals and there is a lot of workto be done, in which the issue goes far beyond the agricultural investmentand production to international trade promotion, opening to approach newmarkets or upgrade of infrastructure and technologies to promote the connectionbetween producers and consumers,” said Qu Dongyu./.