From left to right: H.E. Le Minh Hoan – Minister of Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan – Director of PSAV, Ms. Beverley Postma – Executive Director of Grow Asia, and Mr. Binu Jacob - Chairman & CEO of Nestlé Vietnam at the Signing Ceremony on Monday, 5 December 2022.
The agreement will strengthen collaboration between Grow Asia and PSAV to deliver on national and regional priorities for food systems transformation.
The two organizations will collaborate to drive the adoption of climate-smart technology, integrate gender-inclusive approaches in value chain development, promote best practice on inclusive finance, and accelerate knowledge transfer.
The agreement also will pave the way for the establishment of ASEAN’s first Food Innovation Hub to be launched in collaboration with the World Economic Forum.
Ha Noi, 5 December 2022 - Grow Asia - an entity established by the World Economic Forum and the ASEAN Secretariat to build partnerships for more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems – has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture of Vietnam (PSAV) – a body under Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) overseeing value chain development of key agricultural commodities. The agreement will allow both parties to strengthen collaboration and deliver on national and regional priorities for food systems transformation.
Under the new agreement, the two organizations will collaborate to deliver results in four main areas:
Driving the adoption of climate-smart technology and farmer-centric digital solutions, with support from Grow Asia’s Agri-Food Innovation flagship program;
Integrating gender-inclusive approaches, supported by Grow Asia’s Women’s Economic Empowerment flagship program;
Developing policies and best practice on inclusive finance for businesses and governments, supported by Grow Asia’s Responsible Investing flagship program;
And accelerating climate change adaptation and knowledge transfer, supported by Grow Asia’s Climate Change Resilience flagship program.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding formalizes and strengthens the ongoing relationship between the two organizations, building on seven years of partnership and cooperation. The MoU also paves the way for the establishment of ASEAN’s first Food Innovation Hub to be launched in the coming months in collaboration with the World Economic Forum. The agreement will allow Grow Asia and PSAV to mobilize additional public and private sector investment for the co-development of multi-stakeholder case studies, research projects, and value chain programs that are designed to boost the economic value of Vietnam’s vital agricultural sector while supporting the development of sustainable and climate-smart food systems.
“Vietnam’s agricultural sector serves not just the 100 million Vietnamese but is also among the top 15 agricultural exporters in the world, reaching 190 countries. The new global economy demands agricultural outputs to be produced responsibly, especially in preserving biodiversity and reducing emissions to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change”, said Le Minh Hoan, Minister of Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. “I believe with coordinated efforts from both public and private spheres, and with the support of important regional delivery mechanisms such as Grow Asia, Vietnam can overcome challenges that come with being an emerging economy and truly champion sustainability in our agricultural sector”.
At COP26 in Glasgow last year, Vietnam announced its national commitment to be carbon-neutral by 2050. The agricultural sector plays an important role in laying the foundations for this goal while ensuring sustainable pathways for the nation’s long-term food security.
Beverley Postma and H.E. Le Minh Hoan at a meeting earlier in the day.
“Grow Asia is grateful for Vietnam’s commitment to food system transformation, epitomized by Minister Le Minh Hoan’s leadership at the recent Forty-Fourth Meeting of The ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry, COP26, and the UN Food Systems Summit in 2021. We commend the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture of Vietnam for laying a solid foundation for successful multi-stakeholder partnerships in ASEAN. Together, we can confidently scale high-value projects and build impactful national and regional pathways through the power of public-private collaboration in Vietnam and beyond”, said Beverley Postma, Executive Director of Grow Asia.