New insights into Hanoi's food environment, short value chains, and land use policy.
We are proud to announce that three key research papers from the Nutrition Intervention Forecasting and Monitoring (NIFAM) project have been presented at the conference Agri4D 2025: "Nurturing Regenerative Food Systems in a Changing Climate" at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. This work showcases the project's commitment to developing practical, evidence-based solutions for complex food system challenges in Vietnam.
The NIFAM project, led by the University of Bonn's Institute for Horticultural Sciences, aims to provide decision-makers in Vietnam and Myanmar with robust recommendations to address pressing nutrition and food environment issues. In dynamic contexts where food safety and security are major concerns, our transdisciplinary approach enables the forecasting and monitoring of potential impacts of various interventions. The newly presented works provide a multi-faceted analysis of Hanoi’s food system, examining interventions across specific supply chains, policy support, and leverage points for system transformation.
Nguyen et al. (2025) explore ways to link factory workers with certified cooperatives to improve access to vegetables. The study underscores the importance of research approaches that foster anticipation, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and provide real-time support for development interventions, thereby enhancing their adaptability.
Bui et al. (2025) demonstrate the use of decision analysis to integrate farmers’ knowledge into peri-urban agricultural land-use policy. To engage farmers effectively, we emphasize the importance of science communication. We have worked closely with farmers, tested different ways of presenting our research results, and adapted our approach to their preferences, using their feedback to validate the model.
Luu et al. (2025) advance the conceptual thinking of food systems by integrating different frameworks to examine the transitions of Hanoi’s food system. Through a systematic literature review, we identify key leverage points for promoting health and achieving sustainable impacts in the urban food environment. Our study provides an overview of Hanoi’s food system and identifies areas for system interventions. It also contributes to conceptual thinking by clarifying the pathways through which food environment interventions lead to system outcomes.
Together, these presentations highlight NIFAM's core mission: to co-develop a scientific framework for decision support in situations of uncertainty. By combining field research with innovative analytical methods, we are working to identify cost-effective interventions that can sustainably improve diets and reduce malnutrition, contributing directly to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 of Zero Hunger.
The NIFAM project is funded by the German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE).
Link to conference abstract: https://www.slu.se/globalassets/slu.se/samverkan/slu-global/agri4d/abstract-book-vs1.pdf
Read More:
Bui, H.T.K., Van, H.P., Luu, T.T.G., Whitney, C., 2025b. Using Decision Analysis to Support Agricultural Land Use Policy in Peri-Urban Hanoi: Integrating Local Knowledge and Validation, in: Nurturing Regenerative Food Systems in a Changing Climate, Version 1, 250911. Presented at the Agri4D, Upsaala, Sweden, p. 56.
Luu, T.T.G., Kriesemer, S.K., Whitney, C., 2025. Leverage Points For Sustainable Nutrition Transitions in Hanoi’s Food Environment, in: Nurturing Regenerative Food Systems in a Changing Climate, Version 1, 250911. Presented at the Agri4D, Upsaala, Sweden, p. 56.
Nguyen, S., Luu, T.T.G., Kriesemer, S.K., Whitney, C., 2025. Short Value Chains for Vulnerable Urban Consumers: Linking Factory Workers with A Certified Vegetable Cooperative in Vietnam, in: Nurturing Regenerative Food Systems in a Changing Climate, Version 1, 250911. Presented at the Agri4D, Upsaala, Sweden, p. 56.
