Traditional markets are associated with 40 percent of food-borne illness in Viet Nam, according to this 2025 policy guidance, making food safety in these markets an important public health and food-system concern. The resource proposes a risk-based approach that enables local authorities to identify where hazards are greatest and concentrate interventions accordingly. This prioritization is intended to make food safety management more effective where financial, technical and human resources are limited.

The guidance emphasizes that regulation and inspection alone are unlikely to deliver sustained improvements. Effective risk management also depends on market vendors adopting safer food-handling practices. This requires an enabling environment that addresses practical obstacles and reduces concerns that may discourage cooperation, alongside positive incentives that encourage safer behaviour over time. The approach therefore combines risk assessment with attention to the social and economic conditions influencing vendors’ decisions. Improved food safety has potential benefits for public health, livelihoods and consumer confidence, while helping to reduce inequalities associated with food-borne disease.

Available in English and Vietnamese, the guidance brings together expertise from ILRI and organizations including the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dien Bien, CIRAD, the livestock, animal health and fisheries authorities of Son La, CDE and the ASSET project. It provides local authorities with a policy-oriented framework linking food safety, market management and supportive governance within traditional food systems.