EcoFoodSystems presents latest research on strengthening rice supply chains at PSii Workshop in Vietnam
Ky Hoang, Ciara Varley, Peter McKeown, Anna Lorente Sebastian
In June 2025, EcoFoodSystems researchers Ky Hoang, Minh Duc Tran, and Duy Dinh Anh Nguyen from the University of Galway participated in a workshop on sustainable rice production in Vietnam, held in Can Tho City.
EcoFoodSystems recently attended a workshop from TRANSITIONs sister project Private Sector Incentives and Investments (PSii) in Can Tho City, Vietnam. PSii and EcoFoodSystems are both projects within IFAD’s Agroecological TRANSITIONs programme, which focuses on developing metrics, digital tools and private-public partnership incentives to enable climate-informed agroecological transitions in low- and middle-income countries.
The two-day PSii Workshop, ‘Pathways to Scale: Interventions and Investments for Agroecological Transition’ brought together food systems researchers, government representatives, international organisations, and development practitioners to explore strategies for fostering a more resilient and sustainable rice sector in the Mekong Delta Region. The EcoFoodSystems project extends thanks to IFAD and the European Union DeSIRA initiative for funding of the project.
Representing the EcoFoodSystems research and innovation project, Ky Hoang presented an overview of the project’s objectives and recent activities, with a particular focus on its relevance to the agroecological transformation of Vietnam’s rice supply chain. His presentation emphasised the importance of embedding food system science and decision-support tools in national efforts to improve agricultural sustainability.
The workshop was structured to encourage interdisciplinary exchange across areas including finance, digital innovation, policy strategies, and institutional capacity. Participants explored strategies for scaling agroecological food system transformation, from strengthening cooperative models and leveraging monitoring tools to designing inclusive business approaches.
Ky focused on interventions and transition pathways in his presentation, ‘AgroEcological Transitions for More Healthy, Sustainable & Affordable Diets in City Regions’, at the conference. Alongside contributions from Rikolto, GIZ, and the Department of Agriculture, the session explored how provinces such as Dong Thap and Soc Trang are piloting sustainable rice production practices to address practical barriers to agroecological transitions of rice farming in the region.
June 24th 2025 – Ky Hoang, EcoFoodSystems Researcher, presents an overview of the EcoFoodSystems project
Ky presented key elements of EcoFoodSystems’ work to date, including:
- Research priorities and decision-making tools for more sustainable, healthy and affordable diets in Hanoi city region identified through the project’s multistakeholder workshop in Hanoi
- The current development of the EcoFoodSystems’ Food System Dashboard
- Technical and policy options for improving public health outcomes through inclusion of rice in diets
- Work completed by the University of Galway on satellite remote sensing of rice production in Vietnam & other countries
The workshop concluded with a reflective plenary session on lessons learned to date and strategic directions for the next five years. Participants highlighted both the urgency and feasibility of transforming Vietnam’s rice sector in line with agroecological principles. A recurring theme was the importance of evidence-based, locally grounded research to better understand how food system transitions can be advanced through supply chain innovations.
The PSii Workshop provided a valuable platform for sharing priorities and building alignment across research, policy, and practice in support of food system transformation in Vietnam. The EcoFoodSystems team looks forward to deepening our collaboration with local partners in Vietnam to support sustainable food systems in Hanoi city region.