FAO encourages media engagement in transforming food systems

The narrative guiding FAO Strategic Framework is the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life – otherwise known as the ‘Four Betters’ – leaving no one behind. We implement this Strategic Framework and deliver results against it through programs centered around the ‘Four Betters’. This approach is supported by boosting transformative and expanded partnerships, including those with the media.

Vietnam, like many countries worldwide, is facing intensifying agricultural and climate-related challenges. But with these challenges come opportunities. For FAO, we are committed to going the extra mile in working with the Government and particularly the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to deliver solutions that realize resilient and sustainable agrifood systems to improve livelihoods, address social inequalities, and the climate crisis.

The media in Vietnam – particularly Vietnam Agriculture and Nature News (VAN News) – play a key role in not only raising public awareness about the challenges ahead, but also in mobilizing action and a public commitment to join us in realizing a greener and more sustainable future for Vietnam. We recently observed how these messages are resonating with local media through the significant interest and coverage of FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu’s official visit to Vietnam, which amplified the mission’s key messages of partnerships, sustainability, innovation, and transformation of agrifood systems.

As a trusted partner for sustainable development, built over more than 40 years of cooperation in Vietnam, we have a strong and fruitful partnership with the government and stakeholders that enables FAO to bring a respected voice to the table and act as a convenor of dialogue to address solutions to agriculture and climate-driven challenges. Part of this process for FAO is also communicating clearly, equally with the public and stakeholders, about the challenges before us and the solutions within our grasp.

For Vietnam and FAO, this means achieving the overarching goals of transforming agrifood systems and accelerating the ‘Four Betters’ agenda that underpins achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To ensure that no one is left behind in this journey, effective and media-driven communication is crucial, allowing everyone to be part of the discussion and the solution. Through this connection, FAO contributed to the formulation of the National Action Plan for transforming food systems and, more recently, to the establishment of partnerships for food systems transformation. Media, including news agencies like Vietnam Agriculture and Nature, are encouraged to participate in this food systems transformation partnership. We believe that media engagement will help build strategic partnerships, scale-up collective multi-stakeholder efforts, and help Vietnam achieve the 2030 Agenda, and ultimately maximize the positive impacts for beneficiaries that FAO supports.

Editor's note

Vietnam Agriculture and Nature Newspaper (VAN News), formerly Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper, following the merging with Resource and Environment Newspaper, has played a pivotal role in documenting and promoting Vietnam's efforts to transform its food systems towards sustainability, in close collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. A significant milestone in this journey was the signing of the "Partnership Agreement for Transparent, Responsible, and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation in Vietnam (FST-Partnership)" in 2024, involving over 30 national and international partners. This agreement underscores a collective commitment to reshaping agricultural financing, building strategic partnerships, and enhancing knowledge and capacity to drive systemic reforms. The PST-Partnership have grown to include 45 members.

One of the flagship initiatives under this partnership is the "Sustainable Development of One Million Hectares of High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice in the Mekong Delta by 2030." This program aims to establish a specialized rice-growing region that meets high standards, enhances farmers’ incomes, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu has commanded this initiative, suggesting that its success could serve as a model for other sectors, including agriculture, forestry, and fisheries .

VAN News has been instrumental in disseminating information about these developments, providing comprehensive coverage and analysis that inform policymakers, stakeholders, and the public. Through its reporting, VAN News supports the national agenda of achieving a transparent, responsible, and sustainable food system by 2030, aligning with FAO's strategic framework for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life.​