Collaborating across borders for resilient and sustainable food systems in the Mekong

On May 14, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) coordinated with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) to organize a workshop on Scaling CGIAR Innovations with Strategic Partnerships.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director General of the International Cooperation Department (MAE), emphasized that 2025 marks an important milestone in the development of sustainable agriculture. It is also an opportunity to assess the achievements of the CGIAR Initiative on Asian Mega-Deltas (AMD) and to prepare for the next phase of CGIAR’s science program, Scaling for Impact (S4I). 

"In the face of complex climate change challenges, no country, organization, or individual can tackle them alone. The journey to transform agricultural systems is a long run, not a sprint. Success can be attained from persistence, cooperation, and continuous innovation," he stated.

Reducing risks in delta value chains

Dr. Bjoern Ole Sander, AMD Initiative Lead, affirmed: "We have achieved many significant results and milestones through effective partnerships and proven approaches."

During the 2021-2024 period, the AMD Initiative successfully developed 85 innovations, organized over 200 capacity-building activities, reached more than 8 million farmers, and informed USD 1 billion in investments for projects aimed at enhancing climate resilience and reducing emissions in rice production across delta countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

Collaborative efforts and engagement also attracted public sector investments to support the co-development and dissemination of agro-climatic bulletin in Vietnam, as well as the scaling of Digitally Enabled Climate Advisory Services (DCAS), which were tailored to the specific contexts and user needs in four project countries.

Over the course of three years, cost-effectiveness research supported by AMD has laid the foundation for the development of nutrition-focused national guidelines. A total of 11,000 farmers and 52,000 consumers were trained, contributing to key policies such as Cambodia’s Food Security and Nutrition Strategy and Vietnam’s National Zero Hunger Action Program. Also for the first time, the Vietnam Ministry of Health’s National Institute of Nutrition incorporated a co-developed questionnaire on climate-related mobility into its annual National Nutrition Survey. 

Evidence-based delta development planning

Dr. Bjoern Ole Sander noted that the AMD Initiative, strongly supported by the Government of New Zealand, aims to bolster efforts to promote climate-resilient and highly productive food systems.

The data and tools developed under the AMD Initiative have helped mobilize significant financial resources for initiatives focused on climate resilience and low-emission rice production. Notable examples include the Rice Monitoring and Reporting System (RiceMoRe) and the Climate Smart Mapping and Adaptation Planning tool (CS-MAP), which have been prioritized under Vietnam’s Green Growth Strategy. In Thailand, the AMD-promoted low-emission rice production model has been included in the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) strategy as a key mitigation solution.

He recommended, "In the next phase, we will strengthen and expand sustainable partnerships, scale up proven innovations and approaches, promote the integration of cross-cutting strategic themes, especially gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) and invest in long-term sustainability."

Ms. Caroline Beresford, New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam, expressed her delight at the achievements of the AMD initiative. According to her, scaling the impact of CGIAR research in Southeast Asia must always go hand-in-hand with strategic partnerships to promote sustainable and inclusive development.

Ambassador Caroline Beresford reaffirmed New Zealand's commitment to continuing its support for agricultural innovation initiatives, facilitating collective efforts to improve and support smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities across the Asian region.

CGIAR’s Science Programs and Initiatives are expected to focus on key themes such as: breeding for the future, genebanks, policy innovation, improving diets and nutrition, multifunctional landscapes, food security and food systems, sustainable livestock and aquaculture, sustainable farming, climate action, scaling for impact, as well as digital transformation, capacity sharing, gender equality, and social inclusion.