Developing a transparent, responsible and sustainable food system transformation plan at the provincial level must be aligned with the province’s socio-economic development context
Son La is one of the provinces selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to implement the National Action Plan under Decision No. 300/QĐ-TTg dated 2023 of the Prime Minister (FST-NAP). At the plenary meeting, Son La province’s efforts in implementing a transparent, accountable and sustainable food system transformation were highlighted, including capacity-building activities, coordination among relevant departments and agencies, assessment of the current food systems, and co-development of an implementation plan. These efforts were recognized as a representative pilot model for provinces in the Northern mountainous region.
The development of Son La’s food system transformation plan was co-designed with the participation of provincial departments and agencies and based on local conditions. The province is simultaneously facing multiple challenges, including the triple burden of malnutrition (stunting, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight/obesity); the impacts of climate change; degradation of land and water resources; small-scale production; and limitations in infrastructure and technology. On this basis, on July 29, 2025, the Son La Provincial People’s Committee issued Plan No. 161/KH-UBND on the food system transformation towards transparency, responsibility and sustainability in Son La province by 2030.
The process of developing Son La’s food system transformation plan received close accompaniment and active technical support from agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, including the Department of International Cooperation, the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Agriculture and Environment (ISPAE), and the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS); from agencies under the Ministry of Health such as the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN); and from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). This support was provided through the co-design of activities to promote the implementation of the National Action Plan on Food System Transformation at the provincial level, within the framework of the CGIAR Research Program on Healthy Diets and Better Nutrition.
The technical support process to promote the implementation of provincial-level food system transformation plans was also proposed for expansion to other provinces and cities, as mentioned in the presentation on Update on the implementation of the National Action Plan on Food Systems Transformation in Vietnam towards Transparency, Responsibility, and Sustainability (FST-NAP) by 2030 by Mr. Tran Van The, National Consultant of the Food Systems Transformation Partnership.
Efforts to transform food systems aligned with strategic orientations for the coming period
In parallel with the implementation of Decision No. 300/QĐ-TTg at the provincial level, Son La is also implementing the Resolution of the Provincial Party Congress for the 2025–2030 term through the Scheme on Sustainable Agricultural Development Associated with Agro-processing for the 2026–2030 period, with a vision to 2035. The province has identified a strategic shift from an agriculture-production mindset to an agricultural-economy development approach; promoting commodity production along value chains; developing circular, low-carbon, environmentally friendly and climate-resilient agriculture; and gradually positioning Son La as a national key agricultural province and a center for agricultural product processing in the Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region.
From 2026 onward, Son La will focus on improving mechanisms and policies for agricultural-economic development; attracting investment in infrastructure for industrial parks, clusters, and high-tech agricultural zones; providing interest-rate support for enterprises, cooperatives, and production households participating in value-chain linkages; and effectively integrating funding sources from national target programs and investment projects for sustainable agricultural and rural development.
Son La province considers food systems transformation a long-term task that requires close coordination between central and local levels, as well as sustained support from international partners. Son La hopes to continue receiving policy, technical, and financial support from the Government, ministries, sectors, and international organizations, thereby contributing to sustainable agricultural development, increased incomes, improved nutrition, and enhanced quality of life for people in highland areas.
