ISG Plenary Meeting accelerates green, low-emission food systems transformation

Director in Viet Nam Shantanu Chakraborty, and FAO Representative in Viet Nam Vinod Ahuja. More than 150 participants attended, including representatives from ministries and sectors, localities such as Son La, An Giang and Dong Thap provinces, ambassadors, heads of UN agencies in Viet Nam, development partners, businesses, research institutions, universities, non-governmental organizations, experts and policymakers.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Tran Duc Thang stressed that with agricultural land of only around 10.3 million hectares and growing pressures from climate change and environmental degradation, Viet Nam clearly recognizes that there can be no prosperous agriculture without protecting nature. Transforming agrifood systems towards green, low-emission and sustainable pathways is therefore not a choice but an inevitable course, he said.

FAO Representative in Viet Nam Vinod Ahuja noted that the next five years will be critical in shaping production, distribution and consumption patterns for future generations. FAO will continue working closely with the Government and partners to accelerate the transition towards green, low-emission and climate-resilient agrifood systems, contributing to improved food security, nutrition, livelihoods and sustainable economic growth.

During the plenary, FAO introduced the International Year of Women Farmers 2026, highlighting the vital role of women in building inclusive and resilient food systems and promoting gender-responsive policies, investments and partnerships.

ADB Country Director Shantanu Chakraborty reaffirmed that agrifood systems transformation is one of ADB's top priorities, with a commitment of US$40 billion across the Asia–Pacific region. In Viet Nam, ADB is working closely with ministries, sectors and local authorities to build sustainable, transparent and economically efficient agrifood systems.

The ISG Plenary Meeting reaffirmed strong international commitment to supporting Viet Nam's agrifood systems transformation and identified concrete opportunities for enhanced technical cooperation and coordinated financing, paving the way for a greener, low-emission and more sustainable future driven by partnerships and innovation.

The ISG Plenary serves as a high-level platform for policy dialogue, technical exchange and coordination between MAE and international partners, enterprises, research institutions and civil society. Building on previous meetings and aligned with priorities for official development assistance (ODA) and concessional financing, this year's event focused on mobilizing resources and advancing cooperation in support of national priorities in agriculture and rural development.

Participants discussed orientations to promote Viet Nam's food systems transformation in line with objectives on climate action, nature conservation, ecological agriculture, food security and nutrition, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

At the meeting, the Food Systems Transformation Partnership Membership Agreement, first signed in October 2024 with 47 partners, was expanded with two new members—Rikolto and the Viet Nam Rural Development Science Association (PHANO)—demonstrating growing multi-stakeholder commitment to a transparent, accountable and sustainable agrifood systems transformation.

The meeting also shared updates from the 2025 Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) and recent policies related to agrifood systems, while identifying priority areas for cooperation, including low-emission and sustainable production, responsible consumption, governance, and innovation. Participants agreed on measures to strengthen coordination and mobilize resources to support agrifood systems transformation during the 2026–2030 period./.