Agroecology for better diets: EcoFoodSystems presents latest evidence for Hanoi city region
Ky Hoang, Ciara Varley, Charles Spillane, Peter C. McKeown
EcoFoodSystems researcher Ky Hoang presented new evidence on the impact of agroecological practices on dietary diversity at a recent ALiSEA thematic webinar event.
ALiSEA is the Agroecology Learning Alliance in Southeast Asia, representing a coalition of NGOs, enterprises, and farmer organizations. AliSEA recently ran the thematic webinar: ‘Food Safety: From Production to Consumption’ on November 17th, 2025. EcoFoodSystems researcher Ky Hoang joined 39 other stakeholders attending the webinar, where he presented EcoFoodSystems’ latest evidence on benefits of agroecology for diets in Hanoi city region.
The webinar opened with remarks from Dr. Ho Ngoc Son (Vice Director of ADC Center) and Prof. Dao The Anh (Vice-President of the Vietnamese Academy of Agricultural Sciences). Their opening remarks discussed the growing importance of food safety across the entire food supply chain in Vietnam. Food safety legislation was a particular focus point emphasized by the speakers, as was the importance of safe, ecological production practices from farm to table.
Making the diets of Hanoi’s citizens better from production to consumption
Presentations on cucumber value chains, food certification and agroecological principles framed the days discussion with stakeholders.
- Ms. Nguyen Thi Den, Rikolto, Vietnam, shared experiences from Rikolto’s work developing a safe and ecological cucumber value chain in Tuyen Quang. She outlined how co-ops can support improved product quality and income for famers.
- Ms. Tu Tuyet Nhung, VOAA, described practical tools available to consumers and institutions for distinguishing between organic, ecological, natural, and healthy foods. Labels, certification, and transparent traceability systems emerged as key tools enabling more informed consumer decision making.
- Mr. Hoang Ky, EcoFoodSystems, shared his findings on the role agroecology can play in creating more diverse diets in cities.
Agroecology for better diets in Hanoi: Latest evidence from EcoFoodSystems
PhD researcher on the project Ky Hoang from the University of Galway (Ireland) presented findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis on the link between agroecological practices and dietary diversity in low- and middle-income countries.
The analysis, which has reviewed 40 studies across 31 low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, found that nearly 90% of studies indicate a positive association between agroecology and dietary diversity. The study also points to how mixed agroecological practices – such as combining crop diversification with ecological soil management – can have especially strong benefits for dietary diversity.
While the evidence thus far is promising, Ky stressed that more rigorous studies are needed to identify which combinations of agroecological practices can generate the strongest nutritional impacts.
What’s next for food systems in Vietnam?
For EcoFoodSystems and others attending the webinar, the event was a timely opportunity to consider barriers and opportunities in Vietnam’s food system. Following presentations, the roundtable discussion saw participants place emphasis on the difficulty of monitoring food origins in public kitchens; quality variations across certification standards; and technological innovations such as the use of plasma technology in aquaculture water treatment. In Vietnam’s complex and evolving food safety regulatory context, there are many avenues for impact. The session closed with one such opportunity: a new Local Food System Working Group which aims to strengthen ecological agriculture and expand market opportunities in Vietnam.
The EcoFoodSystems team extend our thanks to AliSEA for the invitation to share our research findings with others interested in enabling more healthy, sustainable and affordable diets in Vietnam.
To learn more about ALiSEA and other upcoming thematic webinars, you can visit the ALiSEA website at the link: https://ali-sea.org/