From October 19-22, 2025, in Dien Bien City, the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS), in collaboration with the Research and Technology Exchange Organization (GRET), the Agricultural Research for Development International Cooperation Center (CIRAD), and other international partners, held a workshop to conclude and share experiences from the “Agroecology and Safe Food System Transitions (ASSET) project in Vietnam.”
The ASSET project is coordinated by GRET, with CIRAD responsible for the scientific component, and funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Union (EU), and the French Global Environment Facility (FFEM). During the 2020–2025 period, the project has been implemented in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar, aiming to promote the transition of food and agricultural systems toward sustainability, safety, and inclusivity.
In Vietnam, VAAS serves as the project lead, coordinating with the National Institute of Animal Sciences (NIAS), the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Agriculture and Environment (ISPAE), and member institutes such as the Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute (NOMAFSI), the Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI), and the Center for Agroecology Systems Research and Development (CASRAD).Dự án tập trung triển khai tại Sơn La và Điện Biên, huy động sự tham gia của các sở ngành, mạng lưới ALiSEA cùng cộng đồng nông dân, hợp tác xã và doanh nghiệp địa phương.
Skills training courses in Son La, Nghe An, and Dong Thap have helped farmers and project staff from member organizations confidently promote agroecology models through their own stories. Photo: Kim Anh.The overall goal of the Agroecology and Safe Food System Transitions (ASSET) project is to contribute to making agricultural and food systems in the region more sustainable, safer, and more inclusive, by leveraging the potential of agroecology and system transformation.
The project is implemented by GRET, serving as the overall coordinator, and CIRAD, responsible for scientific coordination, in collaboration with a group of partners including national, European, and international agencies and organizations, as well as two United Nations entities.
Key achievements
After five years of implementation, the ASSET project has achieved numerous notable results, spanning from policy planning to on-the-ground agricultural practice.
At the strategic level, the project organized foresight activities and developed a Theory of Change, contributing to the formation of a national vision toward 2045 and a provincial vision toward 2030, along with roadmaps to support locally adapted transitions.
A standout feature of ASSET is its multi-stakeholder collaboration model, bringing together researchers, government agencies, businesses, civil society organizations, and local communities in a single process. The ALiSEA learning network has been strengthened, becoming a knowledge-sharing forum connecting research institutes, universities, NGOs, and farmer communities within Vietnam and across the region.
At the practical level, a range of agroecology models along the “farm-to-market” chain have been piloted and scaled up: intercropping coffee and macadamia, agroforestry, crop-livestock integration with grass planting, silage, and composting; improving animal-sourced food safety management in traditional markets; and applying digital transformation for marketing and territorial branding linked to agri-tourism. These activities enhance the connection between ecological products and safe food systems, opening new development pathways for the Northwest region.
Policy forums and workshops have been held regularly, directly contributing to the National Action Plan for Food System Transformation (NAP FST) while creating a dialogue platform between central and local authorities. As a result, agroecology initiatives have gradually moved beyond pilot models and are increasingly integrated into Vietnam’s sustainable agricultural development strategies.
From an environmental perspective, the project’s pilot models have demonstrated clear benefits in circular economy practices, organic farming, greenhouse gas emission reduction, soil health improvement, and efficient water use. Scaling up these practices not only enhances resilience to climate change but also helps shape a new production approach that is environmentally friendly and responsible.
An ASEAN Guide on Agroecology to Be Developed
Ms. Marie-Christine Lebret from GRET stated that the ASSET project was built on the belief that no single actor can transform food systems alone. With GRET coordinating and CIRAD responsible for the scientific component, the project connected VAAS, NOMAFSI, ISPAE, the ALiSEA network, and international partners such as ILRI, CIAT, the University of Florence, and Southeast University. This multi-stakeholder approach has created a broad collaborative community among scientists, civil society organizations, universities, farmers, and the public–private sector.
Mr. François Roger, Regional Director of CIRAD Southeast Asia, affirmed that ASSET has strengthened regional development dynamics by linking agroecology practices with territorial branding, experiential tourism, and e-commerce.
“Agroecology is not just about techniques; it is a co-creation process that requires trust, respect for local knowledge, and collaboration among farmers, cooperatives, policymakers, and businesses,” Mr. François Roger emphasized.
Highlighting the leadership role of Vietnamese partners, the Regional Director of CIRAD Southeast Asia pledged to continue supporting VAAS, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, provincial authorities, and other partners in implementing the ASEAN Guide on Agroecology - a key tool to harmonize regional policies and promote the dissemination of good practices.