Vietnam commits to sustainable food system transformation

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is committed to being a responsible country and is willing to join hands with other countries to transform their food and foodstuff systems sustainably to contribute to the protection of the planet, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has affirmed.

Addressing the 4th Global Conference of the One Planet Network’s Sustainable Food System Programme (SFS Programme) which opened in Hanoi on April 24, Deputy PM Quang briefed the participants on the national action plan on building a transparent, responsible and sustainable food and food stuff system by 2030, which is aimed at turning Vietnam into a transparent, responsible and sustainable food producer and supplier.

Vietnam stands ready to share its experience and cooperate with other countries in agriculture and rural development, and wishes to receive more support from them in the time ahead, he said.

The Deputy PM cited a report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) showing that the number of people affected by hunger globally rose to 828 million in 2021. The Asia-Pacific region is so off track, it would need an additional 35 years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals – in 2065.

“It’s high time to take actions to protect the planet – our common house,” Quang stressed.

Estrella Esther Penunia, Secretary General of the Asian Farmers' Association, also pointed out that natural disasters, climate change, epidemics and political conflicts have worsened and seriously impacted lives of households, causing food prices to double or triple, which makes it difficult for people, especially those in remote areas, to access nutritious food.

She suggested countries integrate sustainable development into policy making, and work to ensure seeds, technology and technical assistance.

FAO Director General Qu Dongyu stressed the urgent need to transform the food system in a more effective, comprehensive, flexible and sustainable fashion, saying this requires efforts by all countries.

The conference, to last until April 27, will look into barriers and problems related to the transformation of the food system, and proposed solutions, focusing on models and global architecture of the food system; national and local policies and administration of the food system; production and consumption models; food system transformation methods.

The One Planet Network is an open partnership chaired by the United Nations Environment Programme, aiming to promote sustainable consumption and production.

SFS is a global programme led by the UN, intending to accelerate the transition of food systems towards a more sustainable one through capacity building, synergies and strengthening cooperation between partners at all levels.

This year’s 4th Global Conference of the SFS Programme is bringing together more than 300 delegates, of whom nearly 200 were foreigners.

Its objectives are to present transformational actions, tools and initiatives that have emerged since the UN Food Systems Summit (UN FSS) with a view to promote their uptake and upscaling in national and local policy-making processes; further promote the food systems approach and inclusive governance and collaboration at all levels with a view to foster their uptake for the development of multi-sectoral action plans towards sustainable consumption and production in food systems./.