Alliance’s research and engagement contributes to developing national action plan for transparent, responsible, and sustainable food systems transformation in Vietnam

Alliance successfully integrated the concepts of sustainable healthy diets and sustainable food systems into the Q&A guidelines for the Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development, Period 2021–2030 and Vision to 2050 led by IPSARD-MARD. Since 2021, Alliance researchers have engaged in the process of UNFSS dialogues and summit, and technical meetings for drafting the technical report highlighting the government’s need for a food systems’ plan and developing the National Action Plan for Transparent, Responsible, and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation (2022–2030) which was approved by the Prime Minister level (March 2023) and is critical to the Strategy’s implementation

Alliance’s research and engagement contributes to developing National Action Plan for Transparent, Responsible, and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation in Vietnam

Alliance successfully integrated the concepts of sustainable healthy diets and sustainable food systems into the Q&A guidelines for the Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development, Period 2021–2030 and Vision to 2050 led by IPSARD-MARD. Since 2021, Alliance researchers have engaged in the process of UNFSS dialogues and summit, and technical meetings for drafting the technical report highlighting the government’s need for a food systems’ plan and developing the National Action Plan for Transparent, Responsible, and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation (2022–2030) which was approved by the Prime Minister level (March 2023) and is critical to the Strategy’s implementation

CGIAR Initiative on Securing the food systems of Asian Mega-Deltas for climate and livelihood resilience (AMD): Nutrition Sensitive Deltaic Agri-food Systems

A presentation introducing the CGIAR Initiative on Securing the food systems of Asian Mega-Deltas for climate and livelihood resilience (AMD): Nutrition Sensitive Deltaic Agri-food Systems at the International Health Science Conference in Can Tho City, Vietnam on 24 December 2022

Engagement report on participation in SUN CSA meetings and related meetings with nutrition platforms in 2022

The CGIAR Initiative on Asian Mega-Deltas’ Work Package 2 (WP2) researchers from the Alliance Bioversity and CIAT engaged with a wide range of stakeholders in relevant nutrition platforms, including The Technical Working Group on Nutrition (TWGN) and Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Alliance (SUN CSA). The purpose of the engagement is to explore partnerships promote co-learning, and share information for WP2 on Nutrition-sensitive Agri-food systems. These activities will help mainstream the nutrition-sensitive approach to the current activities of relevant nutrition platforms in Vietnam

National Stakeholder Consultation on Nutrition-Sensitive Agri-Food Systems Policy and Literature Review in Cambodia

The report is about the national stakeholder consultation on nutrition-sensitive agrifood systems policy event co-organized by the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT (the Alliance), the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD), and the Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Alliance (SUN CSA) in Cambodia on 13 December 2022

Bottom-up participatory prioritization and identification of potential actions and interventions in three A4NH benchmark sites in Vietnam

In 2019 given both secondary data and primary data from the partial baseline survey (Huynh et al., 2021), food systems profiles have been developed for each of three A4NH benchmark sites1, covering the rural, peri-urban, and urban areas (Huynh et al., 2020). Through these profiles, a synopsis of the food system was developed to characterize the existing situation, to highlight key food system challenges and to provide a baseline for measuring and monitoring future changes. Additionally, these profiles are considered as an entry point in identifying actionable policy recommendations as well as in prioritizing socio-economic development plans at the local level. Building on these food systems profiles, we recommend future work that documents the engagement process with local stakeholders to prioritize local food systems’ issues and identify possible demandbased actions, interventions, or local policy in three benchmark sites. The policy-engagement process reported on here was carried out from January to December 2020

Food systems transformation in Vietnam – research and collaboration lay the foundation

Vietnam aims to transform its food systems in a transparent, responsible and sustainable manner. To help achieve this, the new CGIAR research initiative “Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation” (SHiFT) is working with the emerging multi-stakeholder platforms in the country in order to support the planning and implementation of specific activities. This article demonstrates success already achieved

Defining the benchmark research sites (rural to urban transect) in Vietnam

A multi-stakeholder survey and site-based data comparison was carried out to predefine three benchmark sites or populations along a rural-to-urban transect. The current report is a draft version to be shared widely with A4NH- FSHD partners before we commit to ACTUALLY initiating food system characterization in each site, followed by different types of action research based on a clear and concerted rationale, during the upcoming 5 year period of phase II of A4NH-FSHD

Diet Quality Index and food choice motives in Vietnam: The roles of sensory appeal, mood, convenience, and familiarity

Food choices that shape human diets and health are influenced by various socio-economic factors. Vietnam struggles to meet many nutrition targets where links between food choice and diet have not been widely explored. This study assesses the food choice motives, based on a 28-item food choice questionnaire (FCQ), and the diet quality of 603 adults in three sites (urban, peri-urban, and rural) in northern Vietnam. We assess diet quality using the Diet Quality Index–Vietnam (DQI-V) which consists of variety, adequacy, moderation, and balance components. Using factor analysis, we grouped FCQ items into five factors: health focus, sensory appeal, mood ethics, convenience, and familiarity. The structural equation modeling indicates that food choice motives significantly impact the DQI-V and its components but in different directions. The results show that sensory appeal has a positive association with the overall DQI-V score, while having a negative impact on the variety component. Findings present a potential trade-off issue for interventions and policies related to food products. Nutrition knowledge is positively associated with all elements of diet quality across all three study sites. Vietnamese agrobiodiversity could be better utilized to increase dietary diversity. Differentiated policies are necessary to address the poor dietary diversity and adequacy in northern Vietnam

Students’ perception of the advantages and disadvantages of learning English for biology with native and non-native English-speaking teachers

English for Biology is a course in the bachelor training program of Biology Teacher Education at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education. A research on 126 students from Department of Biology of this University on the advantages and disadvantages of learning English for Biology with native and non-native English-speaking teachers was carried out in January, 2018. Data on their perceptions towards the reasons why they liked studying with the teachers were gained from questionnaires. Thirty students in this research were also randomly selected for interview to get their suggestions for the better achievement of learning English for Biology. The results showed that 52 students (41.3%) liked studying English for Biology with non-native English-speaking teachers, whereas 40 students (31.7%) liked learning with native English-speaking teachers, and 34 students (27.0%) preferred studying with both kinds of teachers. Students also suggested some ways to improve the learning effectiveness including regular practice, learner autonomy, environment for practice and so on. The research result will help the Dean take into consideration the importance of teachers in teaching and learning English for Biology