Food System Profile: Son La Province, Vietnam

Nguyen, Q.M.; Huynh Thi, T.T.; Pham Thi, H.M.; Dao The, A.; Pham Thi, H.T.; Tran Van, T.; Nguyen Thi, T.H.; Nguyen Viet, H.; Cam Thi, P.; Nguyen Thi, L.; Tran Cong, T.; Truong Thi, T.T.; Bui Thi, V.A.; Nguyen Thu, D.; Truong Tuyet, M.; Nguyen Minh, A.; Duong, T.T.; Lundy, M.; Bene, C.; Even, B. (2025) Food System Profile: Son La Province, Vietnam. 28 p.

The Prime Minister of Vietnam approved the National Action Plan on Food Systems Transformation Towards Transparency, Responsibility, and Sustainability (NAP-FST) through Decision 300/QD-TTg, dated March 28, 2023. According to the NAPFST, food system transformation should begin at the provincial level, engaging local stakeholders from multiple sectors in a collaborative process. This participatory approach ensures that the decision-making process is well-informed and tailored to local needs, fostering impactful and sustainable outcomes. A key starting point is understanding the provincial food system’s current state, and the roles of each sector within the overall food system. To facilitate the implementation of the NAP-FST, the assigned national focal point - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) - has selected Son La province in the Northern Mountainous Region as one of the pioneering provinces. A National Inter-Sectoral Supporting Group (NSG) was formed in 2024, comprising institutions under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development such as Institute of Strategy and Policy on Agriculture and Environment (ISPAE), Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS), and institutions under the Ministry of Health, such as National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), as well as from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). The working group supported Son La province in providing a snapshot of its current food system and the development of this provincial food system profile.