ASSET project builds multi-stakeholder partnerships for agroecological transformation

Farmers connecting with agricultural extension workers

From October 21–22 in Dien Bien City, the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS) coordinated with GRET (Research and Technological Exchange Group), CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development), and international partners to organize the “Workshop on the Review and Sharing of Experiences from the Agroecological and Safe Food System Transitions (ASSET) Project in Viet Nam.”

The ASSET project, coordinated by GRET and scientifically led by CIRAD, is funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Union (EU), and the French Global Environment Facility (FFEM). Implemented from 2020 to 2025 in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar, the project aims to accelerate the transformation of food and agricultural systems toward sustainability, safety, and inclusiveness.

At the Viet Nam event, more than 100 national and international participants gathered to share lessons learned and discuss pathways for scaling up agroecological transition.

VAAS serves as the national lead, working alongside the National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Environment (ISPAE), and several specialized research institutes under VAAS, including the Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute (NOMAFSI), the Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI), and the Center for Agrarian Systems Research and Development (CASRAD). Project activities have been concentrated in Son La and Dien Bien provinces, engaging local authorities, the ALiSEA learning network, farmers, cooperatives, and enterprises.

After five years, ASSET has achieved notable outcomes spanning policy, practice, and research. Strategically, the project conducted foresight exercises and developed a Theory of Change that informed Viet Nam’s national vision to 2045 and provincial visions to 2030, along with tailored roadmaps for local transitions.

At the practical level, agroecological pilot models have been developed and scaled up across the “farm-to-market” value chain,  including intercropping coffee with macadamia, agroforestry systems, crop–livestock integration with grass cultivation and composting, improved management of food safety at traditional markets, and digital transformation in marketing and territorial branding linked with agrotourism. The project has strengthened the ALiSEA learning network to connect research institutions, NGOs, businesses, and farmers both within Viet Nam and across the region. Regular policy dialogues and forums have contributed to Viet Nam’s National Action Plan for Food Systems Transformation (NAP-FST) and fostered vertical dialogue between central and local levels.

Environmentally, ASSET pilots demonstrated the potential of circular and organic agriculture to reduce emissions, improve soil health and water efficiency, and enhance climate resilience. Many practices have been adopted beyond direct project beneficiaries thanks to local government and agricultural extension engagement.

From Dien Bien, agroecological practices spread across the Northwest

VAAS’s coordination role has been pivotal in linking research, policy, market, and production. Through close collaboration with ISPAE, international organizations, and the Departments of Agriculture and Environment of Son La and Dien Bien, VAAS has worked with cooperatives, traders, and local communities to integrate technical innovations into local contexts while ensuring that lessons from the field inform policy formulation. This multi-stakeholder approach provides “market-oriented outputs” and “policy-oriented inputs,” avoiding fragmented pilots and ensuring systemic coherence.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Son, VAAS Director General, emphasized that ongoing national strategies have created an “institutional corridor” for transition. He cited the 2021–2030 Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy, the National Green Growth Strategy, and the NAP-FST, which all highlight green, organic, circular, and innovation-driven agriculture. “These orientations are and will remain the foundation for international programs like ASSET to effectively contribute to Viet Nam’s commitments to sustainable agriculture and safe food systems,” he said.

He noted that ASSET’s achievements can be summarized under five pillars: vision and strategy; innovative models; learning networks; policy influence and awareness; and resource and environmental efficiency.

From the local perspective, Mr. Lo Van Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Dien Bien Provincial People’s Committee, acknowledged “tangible changes” brought by the project, such as a shift from free-range to managed livestock production, improved feed processing and waste management, and reduced grazing pressure on landscapes. “The ecological and circular models have improved livelihoods, reduced emissions, and strengthened capacity for local officials and farmers,” he said.

According to François Roger, CIRAD’s Regional Director for Southeast Asia (DRASEC), ASSET strengthens regional development drivers by linking agroecological practices with territorial branding, experiential tourism, and e-commerce. He underlined that agroecology was not just about techniques but a co-creation process” requiring trust, appreciation of local knowledge, and strong linkages among farmers, cooperatives, policymakers, and the private sector. He added: “None of this could have been achieved without the strong leadership of Vietnamese partners and the dedication of project members”, reaffirming CIRAD’s commitment to continue supporting VAAS, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and provinces in implementing the ASEAN Guidelines on Agroecology.

Representing GRET, Ms. Marie-Christine Lebret stressed that ASSET was built on a simple belief that no single actor can transform food systems alone. With GRET and CIRAD’s coordination, the project engaged VAAS, NOMAFSI, ISPAE, ALiSEA, and international partners including ILRI, CIAT, the University of Florence, and Southeast Asian universities. This multi-actor approach, she said, “has built a broad community linking scientists, NGOs, universities, farmers, and both public and private sectors,” and has led to the establishment of a technical working group on agroecology contributing to national policy coordination on sustainable food systems transformation.

After five years of implementation, ASSET has laid a strong foundation for scaling agroecological practices, institutionalizing policy dialogue, and strengthening research and training capacities in the coming period. The linkage between science, policy, and markets has been established, the challenge now lies in maintaining momentum, ensuring resources, and replicating successful models to bring sustainable, safe, and environmentally friendly food systems into reality across Vietnam’s localities.