1) enhance the work to reach net-zero emissions and carbon neutrality, global stocktaking and opportunities accessing the carbon market;

2) Enhance collaboration between stakeholders in agriculture to carry out the joint commitments;

3) Contribute to the implementation of the commitments made by Viet Nam on a global level.

Mr. Song Ha of FAO emphasised the need to integrate and link the global goals to which Viet Nam has committed themselves with the rice and livestock sectors in Viet Nam – which represents large shares of the total agriculture emissions. Resilience of agricultural communities was also mentioned, especially in terms of climate change impacts to crops, livestock, natural resources, irrigation infrastructure, etc. There will be a continuous need to revisit the commitments made and work together to create a better world for vulnerable populations to climate change impacts in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam has grown to become a nation producing rice and other agricultural products in surplus, after a long period of being dependent on imports. For rice, the uniqueness of Viet Nam lies in simple but effective techniques that are cost-effective and easy to learn and transfer. Nigeria is a large country in West Africa – a region that imports about 20 per cent of the global rice export stock. This collaboration could be instrumental when facing the rising global challenge of food insecurity, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The two countries will continue discussing closely and begin planning for a delegation visit of Vietnamese experts and officials to Nigeria, facilitated by FAO.

"While being at the centre of the sustainable food systems transformation, soils also play a key role to mitigate climate change by storing large amounts of carbon – if managed properly and responsibly. This carbon storage is, in turn, crucial to soil health, fertility and ecosystem services, including food production. While working to improving one, we also work toward improving the other.FAO is committed, as a longstanding partner of the Government of Vietnam, to continue our support for a sustainable and responsible management of our soils, improving livelihoods of everyone – leaving no one behind" said FAO Representative Rémi Nono Womdim.

The World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), observed on 18-24 November annually, aims to increase awareness of the dangers posed by antimicrobial resistance and to encourage action among the general public, health workers, animal owners and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites resist the effects of medications, making common infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. Antimicrobials are used to fight diseases in humans, animals and plants and include antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal and antiparasitic medicines.

In the Western Pacific region, which includes Viet Nam, the WAAW theme is “Stewards for the Future: One Region, One Movement to Fight against Antimicrobial Resistance” which emphasizes individual, institutional and community responsibility and collective action to fight AMR and protect ourselves, our community and also future generations.

MARD Statement

Mr. Phung Duc Tien, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development says, “Antimicrobial misuse in the livestock sector, aquaculture and crop production is a concern as a risk for emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant micro-organisms. Over the last two years the Government of Viet Nam has released regulations that phase out unnecessary use of antimicrobials in animal production, such as use for prophylactic purposes and antimicrobials of high importance for hum¬an health. It is also required for farmers to obtain a veterinary prescription for certain types of antimicrobial use. This year, we again appeal to farmers to consult with veterinary professionals and vet drug shop owners before using antimicrobials. Antimicrobials should be given to animals only when strictly necessary”.

FAO statement

“Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem. Resistant micro-organisms and genes do not recognize geographical or ecological borders. Resistance arising in one geographical location or species can spread with ease to other geographical locations through movements of food, water, animals and/or people” says Dr. Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative to Viet Nam. “FAO is working closely with the Government of Viet Nam to ensure proper dissemination of new regulations on antimicrobial use in livestock and aquaculture, as well as monitoring for the presence of antimicrobial resistance in animals and food. We also encourage responsible antimicrobial use in animal production, which will help keep our environment and our food free from antimicrobial residues and antimicrobial resistant bacteria”.

WHO statement

“Antimicrobial resistance is an extremely important issue, for Viet Nam, for the Asia-Pacific Region, and for the world. This is because AMR is a real threat to public health – and if we don’t step up our efforts to tackle it, we are fast hurtling towards a world where common infections are impossible to treat, and routine surgery is high-risk because the potential of infection is much harder to control. That is a world none of us want to live in,” says Dr Angela Pratt, WHO Representative to Viet Nam. “The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, so now is the time to take stock and get our efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance back on track. To do this, we need to take a One Health approach – drawing together different sectors and stakeholders in a collaborative effort to tackle problems including antimicrobial resistance at their source. WHO will continue to support the government’s work in ensuring future access to, and efficacy of these essential medicines. Antibiotics are one of humanity’s most important discoveries; we must protect and preserve them, and to do that, “together we need to stop AMR!”.

As part of the Region’s ‘Stewards for the future’ campaign, Viet Nam encouraged to pledge to stop overuse and misuse of antimicrobials: 

Sign up and pledge to join the Stewards for the Future campaign: Race to a million pledges to use antibiotics responsibly | WHO 

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Giovanni Pilato, FAO Governance Officer, at Giovanni.Pilato@fao.org
Ms. Doan Mai Lan, ICD-MARD, at  Mailan.htqt@gmail.com

The theme of this year’s World Food Day “Leave no one behind. Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life” provided an opportunity to engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders on the need to transform food systems to ensure that every person has access to adequate food and nutrition, while protecting the environment, conserving natural resources and responding effectively to climate change.

“Ensuring equal access to safe and nutritious food is an important element in sustainable development, especially for the poor and the vulnerable, who are suffering the most from the epidemics, natural disasters, wars and economic recession. Viet Nam stated its goal to become a transparent - responsible - sustainable food producer and supplier that can meet the demands for food security and nutrition of about 100 million Vietnamese people and for export ” said Le Quoc Doanh, Vice Minister of MARD.

Participants also engaged in the closing workshop of the World Bank-funded “Viet Nam - Sustainable Agricultural Transformation” (VnSAT) Project, implemented from 2015 to 2022 in 13 provinces in Viet Nam. The project made significant contributions to operationalizing the Scheme on Agricultural Restructuring by enhancing the institutional capacity of the agriculture sector, introducing and scaling up innovative, sustainable and low carbon farming methods, and improving the value chains for the rice and coffee sub-sectors. The project not only had a positive impact on economic performance, such as improving farmer productivity and the quality of rice and coffee, but also delivered positive environmental and social impacts.

“VnSAT has not only helped to improve farming efficiency, increase farmers’ incomes, and reduce environmental pollution, but also contributed to the reduction in agriculture GHG emissions, amounting to over 1.5 million tons CO2e from rice farming annually. This successful model can be a springboard to scaling it up to other regions of the country, as MARD pursues the green agricultural transformation in Vietnam,” said Ms Dina Umali-Deininger, Agriculture and Food Practice Manager for the East Asia and Pacific Region of the World Bank.

“I strongly believe that working and sharing together, Viet Nam can accelerate the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind,” said Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

Hanoi, 28 September 2022. The World Health Organization (WHO) Representative Office for Viet Nam, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Viet Nam, and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) renew their commitment to stand with other sectors and stakeholders towards the global elimination of human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

This year’s theme is “One Health, Zero Deaths”, leveraging the concept of One Health that is becoming increasingly entrenched in disease control programs. As recent examples such as COVID-19 and antimicrobial resistance have shown the world, the health of people, animals, and the environment are all inextricably linked and interdependent.

The spirit behind this year’s theme encourages collaboration, partnership, and a joint approach towards rabies elimination – or “Zero Deaths”, in line with the “Zero by 30: Global Strategic Plan for the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030”. Furthermore, the One Health aspect of the theme emphasizes the importance of collaboration, ensuring all people (whether professional or a member of the public) act together as integral partners who can make a difference and contribute to collective action towards rabies elimination. This approach exemplifies One Health, as an impetus for the participation and collaboration among human, animal, and environmental sectors.

The global strategic plan was jointly adopted by WHO, FAO, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) in 2018. In Viet Nam, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and local governments, with support from these international partners have been working together to implement the National Programme on Rabies Prevention and Control. Reducing human deaths from dog-mediated rabies has been a critical goal and challenge for many countries in recent decades. However, through greater collaboration and by taking simple steps today to accelerate rabies control, we can help ensure the elimination of human deaths by 2030.

While some progress has been made over the past 10 years, Viet Nam has continued to report 70 to 100 human deaths from rabies each year. In the first eight months of 2022, Viet Nam reported 40 human deaths. Despite a significant decrease in rabies deaths in some provinces, the number of deaths increased in 20 provinces over the five-year period 2017 to 2021 compared to the period 2011 to 2016. This highlights the need to adopt lessons learned and work closely with local governments to ensure a decrease in deaths going forward.

Acting WHO Representative in Viet Nam Dr Socorro Escalante, emphasized the need for strong commitment and the targeting of priority areas in order to eliminate deaths by 2030. “Strengthening political commitment to ensure access, availability and affordability to proven interventions such as safe, effective and quality-assured vaccines, is critical to saving lives along with ensuring a One Health approach to eliminating rabies.” Dr Escalante also reiterated, “strong coordination between animal, human health, and other sectors is vital to ensure prevention and control programmes are efficiently and effectively managed.

“There is increasing international and high-level political support for One Health as a sustainable solution to combat threats such as rabies. Dog vaccination is the most cost-effective single intervention to protect humans from contracting rabies. By working together using the One Health approach, to increase rabies vaccination coverage in animals to reach at least 70%, we can break transmission of rabies to human and accelerate the progress toward Zero by 30 goal”, added Dr Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

“To improve the canine vaccination coverage, we need to ensure the availability, accessibility, and affordability (3A) of rabies vaccine,” emphasized Dr. Lindsay Kim, Global Health Security Program director, U.S. CDC office in Viet Nam. “Furthermore, strengthening rabies surveillance using the One Health approach and integrating it with the event-based surveillance program that is currently implemented and advocated by the Ministry of Health should also be focused to get closer to the ‘Zero by 30’ goal.”

In recognition of World Rabies Day 2022, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Ben Tre provincial People’s Committee, with support from FAO, WHO, U.S. CDC, USAID and other organizations will host a joint event and meeting in Ben Tre province on 28 September 2022 to highlight shared commitment to the “Zero by 30” goal, review results of Vietnam’s National Rabies Control Program, and discuss opportunities for supporting increased vaccination in dogs.

The Viet Nam Government is committed to achieving the 2030 goal of eliminating human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by renewing the National Programme on the Control and Elimination of Rabies 2022–2030. The WHO, FAO, and U.S. CDC reaffirm our continued support to the Government of Viet Nam in developing essential policies and mechanisms to reduce deaths. We encourage the Government, particularly at the local level, to prioritize and increase resources for the management of dog populations, the vaccination of dogs, and provision of post exposure prophylaxis for those bitten by dogs. FAO, WHO and U.S. CDC commit to provide ongoing technical support to the Government of Viet Nam as we work together to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies in Viet Nam. Together, we can achieve “Zero by 2030”.

For more information, please contact:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Pawin Padungtod, Senior Technical Coordinator
Tel: 84-24-3202-0019
Email: pawin.padungtod@fao.org

World Health Orgnization
Tran Thi Loan
Communications Assistant
Tel: 84-24-38500100
Email: wpvnmedia@who.int

United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC)
Meredith French
Communications Advisor
Tel: 84-24-3935-2132
Email: swk6@cdc.gov

Delegates from 32 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America – including government officials and forest and farm producer organization representatives – took part in the five-day long conference, held under the theme ‘Saving our Future: Investing in locally-led diversification for climate resilience and food security’.

The conference provided a common understanding of challenges faced by grassroots organizations and shared lessons learnt on developing climate-resilience business models, for example through the diversification of seeds, value chains, products, financing mechanisms and markets.

“When forest and farm producer smallholders come together to work collectively, they can be powerful agents of change,” said Ewald Rametsteiner Deputy Director of FAO’s Forestry Division.

The conference provided a rare opportunity for smallholders from all over the world, some from remote areas, to network, learn from each other and build a unified grassroots voice.

Sustainable financing

Collectively, 1.5 billion forest and farm smallholders supply at least one-third of the world’s food on just 12% of its agricultural land. But while total international climate finance for developing countries has exceeded US$70 billion annually since 2017, as little as 10% of global funds reach the local level, with just 1.7% accessible to locally controlled organisations.

Innovative finance models were an important subject of discussion during the event, and the conference heard from successful microfinancing programmes and indigenous territorial funds.

“The conference clearly recognized the need to direct sustainable financing, in the short and long term, to small-scale family farmers through their producer organizations in order to strengthen their role as advocates and service providers to their members, and to address crises,” said Sophie Grouwels, FAO country coach for FFF. “In addition, more must be done to help those organizations access global finance and boost climate resilience,” she added.

Key recommendations

Recommendations from the conference, which were shared with the UN Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF) Global Forum, included a call to:

• enhance recognition of forest and farm producer organizations as the voice of family farmers, support their lobbying capacities, and provide evidence of their ability to deliver services to their members to address the climate crisis.

• include forest and farm producer organizations as key actors in policy formulation and implementation, and equal partners in the development of climate-financing mechanisms.

• implement legal and policy frameworks to strengthen land rights of local communities and indigenous peoples, and provide incentives for locally led diversification measures, agroecology and agroforestry practices, with a specific focus on women, youth and ethnic minorities.

• support forest and farm producer organizations to strengthen their internal organization and entrepreneurship skills so they can attract youth to agriculture and to revalorize traditional knowledge.

The Forest and Farm Facility is a partnership between FAO, IIED, IUCN and AgriCord, which provides support to local organizations, seeking to improve climate resilience and livelihoods.

Related links

International Conference for Sharing and Learning with Forest and Farm Producer Organizations
Forest and Farm Facility

Specifically, on September 26 and 27, FAO project with the People's Committees of the participating communes, and the PDPCs of the two provinces have been urgently implementing specific activities, including:

For Thua Thien Hue province: 300 sealed water-proof plastic containers with capacity of 220 litres have been distributed to the poor households in the low-land areas of 3 communes of Quang Phu, Quang Thai and Huong Xuan; each commune has received 100 containers.

For Quang Tri province: 300 sealed water-proof plastic containers with capacity of 200 litres and 300 cash packages, each of 1 million Vietnamese Dongs, have been distributed to the poor households in the low-land areas of 3 communes of Hai Phong, Trieu Trach and Trieu Do. Particularly for Trieu Do commune, an evacuation camp for livestock, which was already established in the Anticipatory Action exercise in late August this year, has been put into operation.

These FAO-supported actions are implemented within the framework of the Project “Increasing Capacities and Scale for Anticipatory Action including through Social Protection Systems”, a regional project involving 5 countries, including Viet Nam. The Component implemented in Vietnam has a total estimated budget of US$1.7 million from the ODA grants supported by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) through the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). In Viet Nam, FAO collaborates with Viet Nam Disaster Management Authority (VNDMA), the Commands for Disaster Prevention and Control at different levels, and the provinces to develop an Anticipatory Action Plan, and to promote its integration into the disaster management system in Viet Nam.

The Project’s objectives are to protect the livelihoods, food security and nutrition for the vulnerable households in the rural areas through forecasting the impacts of natural disasters, using a unified approach to humanitarian assistance efforts, enhancing the governance and the preparedness in disaster risk reduction in Viet Nam, including the connections with and support to the national social protection system. This will strengthen the resilience and recovery of the vulnerable households in the rural areas, and protect the achievements of the socio-economic development against natural disasters.

The project locations are the central coastal provinces, starting from the first year with three provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue, and intended to expand to Quang Ngai and Phu Yen provinces from the second year. The expected implementation period is three years, from August 2021 to July 2024. The natural disasters that the project aims to control are typhoons and the post-typhoon flooding. To date, after the various consultations from the regional to the community levels in the 3 provinces with 9 selected communes, the project has been focusing on developing an Anticipatory Action Framework, with three proposed options of: (i) Providing sealed plastic containers to store food, seeds and key assets; (ii) Providing multi-purpose cash transfers to help the local residents to buy food and essential commodities in anticipation of a typhoon/flooding; and (iii) Providing evaluation camps for livestock in anticipation of flooding.

An exercise for the implementation of some selected Anticipatory Actions at the commune level was successfully conducted in Trieu Do commune of Trieu Phong district, Quang Tri province in late August 2022.

In the coming time, the project will continue to finalise the Anticipatory Action Framework and the Procedures for Implementing the Anticipatory Actions against typhoons and post-typhoon flooding, based on lessons learned from the exercises and the actual implementation of the anticipatory action against Typhoon Noru for the three project provinces, while expanding the scope to include two more provinces as mentioned above. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop an Anticipatory Action Framework and to promote the integration of the anticipatory actions into Viet Nam's disaster management system.

The event takes place in Hanoi in hybrid format from 22 to 26 September 2022 under the theme ‘Saving our Future: Investing in locally-led diversification for climate resilience and food security’ and is organized by the Viet Nam Farmers’ Union and the Forest and Farm Facility – a partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and AgriCord.

Representatives of grassroots forest and farm producer organizations from across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe will meet with delegates from international organizations, governments and non-governmental organizations for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the event two years ago.

“With the right support, smallholder farmers can play a crucial role in maintaining forest and farm landscapes in the face of climate change and in ensuring food security worldwide,” said Ewald Rametsteiner, Deputy Director of FAO’s Forestry Division.

Key change agents

An estimated 1.5 billion forest and farm smallholders produce around a third of the world’s food. On the frontline of climate change, many smallholders produce different products from a single landscape. This helps reduce their vulnerability to the effects of climate and market-related shocks. If properly managed, it can also improve land quality and foster better nutrition.

A FAO policy brief released last year, Forest and farm producers – climate change sentinels, argues these smallholders are key change agents in delivering climate-resilient solutions and says greater funding channelled to them could have a global impact.

The conference comes in the context of the UN Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 (UNDFF), spotlighting the role family farmers play in shaping the future of food and promoting more sustainable food systems in a changing climate.

Participants at the conference will discuss key recommendations for actions to build resilience that will be shared at the UNDFF Global Forum this month.

Exchange visits to Yen Bai and Bac Kan Provinces

Participants will also discuss the challenges and lessons learned from setting up climate resilient businesses and hear examples of available finance models, including international climate funding and microfinancing.

In addition, forest and farm smallholders will display forest and non-wood timber products from their farms contributing to climate resilience and food security at an innovations share fair during the conference.
Attendees will also participate in a two-day exchange visit (September 24-25) to five cooperatives in Yen Bai and Bac Kan Provinces to help stimulate upscaling of good practices across the global network of grassroots organizations.

Among the groups visited will be the Viet Nam Cinnamon and Star Anise Cooperative in Yen Bai Province, which has been thriving despite rising temperatures, falling rains, and pest epidemics.

The cooperative has focussed on diversification within its core cinnamon value chain, as well as developing alternative businesses including medicinal plants, honey, handicrafts, tourism, and silk, increasing average income in the area.

Related links

International Conference for Sharing and Learning with Forest and Farm Producer
Organizations Forest and Farm Facility

FAO ECTAD in Viet Nam and the Department of Animal Health (DAH) jointly organized a workshop on animal pathogen diagnostics and AMR testing capacities in public and private laboratories. The aim was to assess laboratory capacity and needs on field diagnosis and identification of bacterial pathogens of pigs, chickens and aquaculture as well as on antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) across veterinary laboratories in the country.

The meeting gathered technical laboratory and veterinary staff from 25 public and private laboratories as well as international agencies and projects supporting DAH and the GoVN (including PATH, FHI360 and TRANSFORM) on antimicrobial resistance. The meeting gathered the views from diagnostic veterinary laboratories on the most pressing needs on diagnostics, AST and data sharing, and suggestions on how to improve knowledge on bacterial pathogen circulation and the most appropriate antimicrobial treatment strategies.

Representatives from participating laboratory provided detailed information about their skills, equipment, as well as the number of specimens isolated, tested and stored in their laboratories. This information will be used to identify the role of laboratories on diagnostic bacteriology and AST testing in the network with the vision of inter-laboratory collaboration, harmonization and eventually integration of data between the laboratories themselves and with DAH. In addition, the meeting was a valuable networking and exchange forum for professionals working in these laboratories from different regions of the country.

The goal of the “Pilot Programme on Resilient Livelihoods for Rural Women in Viet Nam Northern Mountainous Region” project – to be delivered in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam Women’s Union, businesses, women’s and farmers groups – is to increase ethnic minority women’s access to sustainable and resilient agricultural livelihoods in natural resources management.

The project was high on the agenda of a meeting today between Ireland’s Minister for State Agriculture Mr. Martin Heydon, who is visiting Viet Nam as part of an Irish trade delegation, and FAO Representative in Viet Nam, Mr. Rémi Nono Womdim. Both parties also discussed future opportunities for Irish support to sustainable agri-food systems and vulnerable communities in Viet Nam.

The direct beneficiaries of the pilot project are agriculture extension service providers – with at least half being ethnic minority women and their families. They will benefit from increased incomes from rural activities and resilience to natural and climate-induced disasters.

As a result of the combined downstream and upstream support from the project, a major contribution will be made to strengthening capacity for value-addition and income generation related to agri-food systems, directly providing an impetus to northern mountainous provinces’ capacities to fund and provide social and economic services to their citizens and thereby make a major contribution to enhanced prosperity in the region.

The project will contribute to the National Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development 2021-2030 with vision to 2050, as well as to FAO’s strategic framework that seeks to support the 2030 Agenda through the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for Better production, Better nutrition, a Better environment, and a Better life to leave no one behind.

Through co-organizing a training of trainers (ToTs) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Plant Protection Department, participants are now better equipped to counter the spread of Fall armyworm (FAW), particularly in maize crops, in northern provinces in a safe and effective manner.

With technical assistance from FAO, specifically a Senior Agricultural Officer from the FAO Asia-Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, more than 30 provincial staff specialized in crop production and plant protection took part in the training, with the knowledge gained to help inform the development of six Farmer Field Schools (FFS) for training local farmers in other northern provinces aside from Son La.

The ToT is also another step towards developing technical solutions for sustainable pest management of maize in general and FAW in particular, with local field trials to select optimal options to reflect local contexts.

“This training is important as participants will serve as resource focal points and have cascading effects and synergies in the ongoing programme to contribute to food production, sustainable management of invasive pests, and reduction of the reliance on chemical pesticides,” said Yubak Dhoj, FAO Regional Office Senior Agriculture Officer.

The ToT is part of Viet Nam’s membership of a regional FAW control network formed by FAO, which has a key focus on capacity building of agricultural officers and farmers' organizations to respond to the early arrival and preparedness of the pest. In particular, cultivation habits of farmers are examined to avoid incorrect usage of chemical pesticides in the field. To ensure a sustainable approach to countering the pest, the FFS model is used to promote nature-friendly farming techniques.

To help understand these local contexts, the PPD leaders, FAO experts and participants visited maize fields in Son La province’s Moc Chau district for a first-hand look at the damage caused by FAW since its arrival in Viet Nam in 2019. The pest, since its arrival in Asia from Africa and the Americas region, has become economically damaging to major cereal crops – particularly maize.

In response, FAO has been working with the Government of Viet Nam through a Technical Cooperation Programme on a range of initiatives, including a monitoring tool known as FAW Monitoring and Early Warning System (FAMEWS). The PPD also formed a National Task Force on FAW control and launched different activities in the field.

Viet Nam is also a pilot country for Global Action on FAW control (2020-2023) and in addition to this field programme, the country is supporting regional initiatives such as the Regional IPM Package on FAW and ASEAN Action Plan on FAW.

FAO in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and Lai Chau Provincial People’s Committee, organized a workshop to introduce the new “National Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050”, and mobilize resources for the development of sustainable agri-food systems in the northern mountainous provinces.

Workshop participants – from FAO Viet Nam, MARD, international partners, national institutes and provincial and district representatives – focused on the implementation of National Target Plans in the Northern Mountainous Region, National Strategy for Socio-economic Development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas as well as the National Strategy for Sustainable Poverty Reduction 2021-2025.

“Achieving sustainable agri-food systems requires the development of strategies that make wise choices. In this connection, I am very delighted to note the convergence of views between the National Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development and FAO’s vision on sustainable agri-food systems,” said Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Viet Nam.
The workshop distilled a number of important points which will contribute to the development of appropriate strategies and approaches to realize the National Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development’s implementation in different contexts and scales, with a focus on the northern mountainous region.

The strategy’s key objectives include ensuring sustainable, agri-food systems that meet the needs of present and future generations for their products and services, while ensuring profitability, environmental health, and social and economic equity. As agriculture depends on the services provided by ecosystems, sustainable agri-food systems must minimize negative impacts on the environment while optimizing production by protecting, conserving and enhancing natural resources and using them efficiently.

“In Viet Nam, it is now time to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and experience acquired through these programmes to develop a common vision and an integrated approach to sustainability across agriculture, forestry and fisheries. I strongly believe that working and sharing together, Viet Nam can accelerate the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind,” said Rémi Nono Womdim.

Rinderpest was responsible for a large wake of devastation across farmlands. In countries, such as Ethiopia, one-third of the human population was wiped out due to the mass starvation this disease caused regardless of its inability to spread to humans. Thanks to the joint effort of countries as well as the international and regional organizations, rinderpest was eradicated in 2011. However, as virus stocks are still held in laboratories in five countries in Asia and one country in Africa, there remains the risk of catastrophic rinderpest re-emergence.

The immediate destruction of any remaining rinderpest virus stock is vital. With combined national efforts, FAO gave large-scale success in the destruction and sequestration of rinderpest virus holdings across laboratories in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and many other countries.

In May 2019, the FAO team led by Senior Animal Health Officer, Dr Samia Metwally conducted a mission to advocate for the Viet Nam government to destroy their virus stocks. Following this mission, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development agreed and requested support in removing the virus from their two laboratories.

FAO and WOAH congratulate Viet Nam on setting a precedent on how the risk of rinderpest re-emergence can be effectively addressed and hope this good practice will be replicated by the few remaining countries that are currently holding the virus.

A new mission will take place from 1 to 9 June 2022, at the laboratories of the National Veterinary Joint Stock Company in Ho Chi Minh City and the National Centre for Veterinary Medicine Control No1 laboratory in Hanoi and will involve:  verifying the inventory of virus stock for destruction; checking equipment certificates for operation; packing the virus material and waste for destruction; decontaminating the laboratory and freezers, and transfer material for incineration; delivering biosafety management training to laboratory staff; and informing and engaging the Viet Nam government in raising community awareness through activities targeting rinderpest and other transboundary animal diseases.

This mission in Viet Nam will mark another step towards preserving global freedom against rinderpest.

More information : Please contact Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator, FAO Viet Nam.
Email : Pawin.Padungtod@fao.org

WHONET is a computerized microbiology laboratory data management and analysis program for recording and comparing antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of organisms. WHONET is available in 44 languages, supporting surveillance efforts in over 2,300 hospital, public health, animal health, and food laboratories in over 130 countries worldwide.

In Viet Nam it has been used in human pathogens and can be potentially adapted for veterinary and environmental organisms. This was an interactive workshop where participants from veterinary public and private laboratories were introduced to WHONET and learned about the different options and configurations of the system. It aims to explore options for integrating data on antimicrobial susceptibility providing a better knowledge of their antimicrobial susceptibility, therefore contributing to better prescription practices. It is expected that the system will be adopted by a range of laboratories across the country.

These workshops were an opportunity to voice concerns regarding the implementation of the current legislation on management of veterinary medicines and antimicrobial use in Vietnam. Feedback from the participants is crucial for DAH to continue improving antimicrobial stewardship across the country.

The report evaluates joint UN work on social protection since the launch of the Social Protection Floor Initiative (SPF-I), one of nine initiatives of the UN Chief Executives Board to respond to the global financial crisis of 2008-2009. Distilling lessons from the more than 10 years of UN collaboration on this topic, the report identifies priority areas for further engagement on social protection and provides recommendations for improving collaboration between UN agencies going forward.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war have had negative consequences for food, fuel and fertilizer prices. Social protection systems help absorb these shocks, protecting the poor and vulnerable households, which are disproportionally affected by them. Hunger and food insecurity are rising, which highlights FAO’s importance to strengthen coordination, coherence and policy integration across the agriculture and social sectors. It is vital to ensure that social protection mechanisms are not only reactive, but designed as enablers of an inclusive rural transformation processes.

The key priority areas for social protection engagement identified in the report relate directly to some of the key challenges faced by Viet Nam today. These areas include keeping the promise of leaving no one behind and promoting inclusive social protection through a rights-based approach, supporting the transition from the informal to formal economy and covering the “missing middle”, ensuring adequate and sustainable financing for social protection, strengthening social protection delivery systems, making social protection systems more adaptive/shock-responsive and stronger integration of universal social protection and universal health coverage policies.

These priority areas are particularly relevant and urgent in the wake of the negative socio-economic impacts of the pandemic. Furthermore, such priority areas are in line not only with the UN Viet Nam Country Team recommendations to Viet Nam through the years, but also with the priorities identified in key national documents and strategies, in particular Party Resolutions No.15-NQ/TW (2012) and No.20-NQ/TW (2017) and No. 28-NQ/TW (2018).

The pandemic and current volatile international situation call for adaptive social protection systems able to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable including children, as well as to contend with shocks. While Viet Nam has made progress in social protection, COVID-19 has highlighted the inadequate level of investments in social assistance, the obsolete management and information system, and limited coverage in terms of number of people reached by interventions and in terms of benefit levels. The General Statistics Office and UNICEF-supported Viet Nam SDGCW 2020-2021 survey shows that the complex social assistance targeting resulted in vulnerable people’s low access to aid during the pandemic. More than 50 per cent of people living in poor and poorest households did not receive social transfers or external economic support during the health crisis. 

If the Government of Viet Nam is committed to eradicating multidimensional child poverty and leaving no one behind, it is critical to maintain and expand investments in child sensitive, shock- and gender-responsive social assistance and gradually introduce a universal child grant. It is key to link social assistance recipients with improved access to essential services (health, education, nutrition and child protection). This requires integrating social protection instruments, improving the performance of institutions and coordination across sectors, and enhancing the role played by frontline workers, including social workers.  It is key that the coordinated work undertaken by UN agencies and international financial institutions in support of the government continue to ensure social protection systems are inclusive and responsive to those who need it most. Currently, the government is revising Resolution 15 on social policies which offers a critical opportunity to promote life cycle and a multi-tiered approach to social protection. 

The recommendations in this report are positioned to support the design and implementation of adequate and comprehensive national social protection systems. This will support the ongoing post-pandemic socio-economic recovery and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals on social protection by 2030.

Access the paper here

More information, please contact Pawin.padungtod@fao.org

The current nutrition situation in Asia and the Pacific is difficult in many areas across the region. About 40 percent of its inhabitants cannot afford a healthy diet, and in some areas the fight against hunger has seen reversals rather than advances. Progress toward meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of defeating both poverty (SDG 1) and hunger (SDG 2) has been thrown off track amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has devastated both lives and livelihoods.

Luckily, the picture is not all bleak and there are signs of optimism and dynamism. Advances in the region’s agrifood systems are changing the ways in which food is sustainably produced, marketed and consumed. This transformation reflects a greater awareness by Asia-Pacific producers and a growing demand from consumers for healthier, more nutritious foods.

Crop and livestock farmers, fishers, pastoralists, other producers and retailers – large and small – are successfully turning to innovative ideas and digital technologies. These improvements in production and sustainable resource management keeps more money in their pockets, while also helping to reverse environmental degradation.

All this is helping to create a paradigm shift that is taking shape in other parts of the world too. In Asia and the Pacific, there is a clear and growing movement toward innovation and digitalization along the entire agrifood value chain.

Retail grocery and food shopping is an important example. This is not only a phenomenon of well-developed economies, with four out of five sales of online food and grocery purchases taking place in the Asia-Pacific region. 

This is just one aspect of the agrifood systems overhaul that is reshaping countries rapidly across Asia and the Pacific, from West Asia, all across South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia to the Pacific island countries.

In the Pacific’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS), grassroots entrepreneurs are increasingly stepping forward. Their innovative smart phone apps help producers and consumers to make informed, nutritious choices. The private and development sectors are also leveraging increasingly available data to make the supply chain of agricultural commodities to markets more efficient and timely, and to map areas vulnerable to extreme weather events. Several of these innovations were showcased at the ‘SIDS Solutions Forum’, the first of an event to be held biennially, co-convened in August 2021 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Fiji.

There are still some challenges in accessing data on demand and without interruption, as we saw when Tonga’s undersea communications cable was severed during the eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano. But these setbacks will bring forth the new ideas needed to overcome them!

At FAO, we are working with our Members across Asia and the Pacific region to transform agrifood systems to be MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable - to the benefit of all. Through the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, we are assisting policy makers in their plans to further leverage data, technology and innovation to meet the SDGs targets by 2030.
We are proactively identifying and supporting digital villages across the region as part of FAO’s 1,000 Digital Villages Initiative. We are continuing to nurture and promote country-led SIDS solutions and Hand-in-Hand partnerships, which includes advising on climate event mitigation and adaptation, and helping to overcome the damage caused to lives and livelihoods by the pandemic and the climate crisis.

These are among the topics that will be discussed at the 36th Session of the FAO Asia and the Pacific Regional Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 8 to 11 March. FAO Members from the region – 46 in total – will come together to build on the transformational agenda and actions under the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, along with the recommendations of the UN Food Systems Summit 2021.

FAO is leading in hosting the recently established Coordination Hub for the follow up of the Summit, which will support countries in further developing and implementing national pathways towards agrifood systems transformation in line with national priorities.

Working with our Members in Asia and the Pacific, we will create even stronger partnerships with academic and research institutions, civil society organizations, cooperatives, parliamentarians and the private sector, with the inclusion of women and youth, as part of our commitment to the global efforts to build back better.

FAO is supporting the region to think big and act concretely. We are providing a constructive hand, but we need many more hands to reach our collective goals. For a better world with a better future for our children, we need better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all – leaving no one behind.

For this, we need strong political will and efficient, effective and coherent multilateral actions.

The objective of the workshop was to raise awareness about the potential and value of agro-ecology and the pathway for agro-ecological transformation, to provide directions for policy and strategies for agricultural and rural development in the new strategic period 2022-2025.

Over 200 participants from the government including provincial leaders, civil society, private sector, producers’ organizations, development and resource partners attended this workshop which was held in hybrid mode.

The workshop focused on sharing and exchanging a number of contents, including: concepts and prospects for agro-ecological development; transformation methods such as integrated plant health management, ecological landscape approach, agroforestry... and introduction of Tool for Agro-ecological Performance Evaluation jointly developed by FAO and various partners. The participants also discussed a number of directional and strategic matters for agro-ecological transformation in Viet Nam in the near future.

“Today's challenge is to tackle the root causes of hunger and malnutrition through transformative changes to the way we produce, process, distribute, and consume nutritious food that contributes to healthy diets. By moving together from dialogue to action, we hope to provide concrete elements to contribute to Sustainable Development Goals’ commitments and promote More efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems." said Dr. Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

Hanoi, Viet Nam. The newly appointed Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for Viet Nam Mr. Rémi Nono Womdim  presents his Credentials to Vice  Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, Mr. Dang Hoang Giang. Speaking at the presentation of Letter of Credentials, Mr  Rémi Nono Womdim said “I am honored to have been given this opportunity to work for the people of Viet Nam, and  look forward to strengthening ongoing cooperation with the Government and other key stakeholders for the transformation of agri-food systems in Viet Nam”.

The FAO Representative in Viet Nam also thanks the Ministry of Foreign Affairs leaders for the meeting and highlights potential areas of collaboration between FAO and Vietnamese Government in the main sector such as Agri-Food Systems Transformation; Resilience to Climate Change, One Health Approach and, South-South and Triangular Cooperation. On behalf of FAO Director-General Dr. QU Dongyu, the FAO Representative reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to support the 2030 agenda in Viet Nam through the transformation to More, efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Prior to his appointment as the FAO Representative for Viet Nam,  Mr  Rémi Nono Womdim served as Deputy Director of the Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. He was also the Executive Secretary of Rotterdam Convention-FAO.  A national of Cameroon, Mr. Rémi Nono Womdim holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Life Sciences and a Master of Science in Plant Pathology from the University of Paris XI in France.

World Food Day 2021, with the theme “Our actions are our future – Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life”, aims to raise awareness of the need for supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems. It calls for actions across sectors to ensure that our agri- food systems deliver enough affordable, safe and nutritious food for everyone everywhere to lead active and healthy lives.

This year, World Food Day is celebrated a second time during the COVID-19 pandemic, whose repercussions disrupted agri-food systems. It triggered an unprecedented global economic recession resulting in a dramatic loss of livelihoods and incomes and increased food insecurity and inequality. The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined that an urgent change of route is needed. It has made it even harder for farmers - already affected by climate variability and extremes - to sell their harvests, while rising poverty is pushing an increased number of city residents to use food banks, and millions of people require emergency food aid. We need sustainable agri-food systems that are capable of sustaining 10 billion people by 2050.

Although people are conscious that our health and well-being depend on the availability of and access to nutritious foods, many are unfamiliar with the concept ‘agri-food systems’ – how we participate in these systems on a daily basis and how our choices and actions impact them. A sustainable agri-food system is one in which a variety of sufficient, nutritious and safe foods is available at an affordable price to everyone, and nobody is hungry or suffers from any form of malnutrition. The shelves are stocked at the local market or food store, but less food is wasted and the food supply chain is more resilient to shocks such as extreme weather, price spikes or pandemics, all while limiting, rather than worsening, environmental degradation or climate change. In fact, sustainable agri-food systems deliver food security and nutrition for all, without compromising the economic, social and environmental bases, for generations to come. They lead to better production, better nutrition, better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

In September, the United Nations Secretary-General convened the very first Food System Summit to forge consensus on bold new actions to transform the way the world produces and consumes food, with an aim to get back on track to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. For the first time, a comprehensive approach towards agri-food systems transformation was adopted at the event in order to fight poverty and hunger, reduce inequalities and preserve the environment. In his remarks, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu pledged that FAO would take the leadership role in implementing the outcomes and work with all to transform agri-food systems. Also at this Summit, during the national dialogues, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed Vietnam’s commitment in transforming food systems in a “transparent, responsible, and sustainable” manner.

As FAO Director-General QU Dongyu mentioned in his speech on the occasion of World Food Day 2021, “as producers, distributors or consumers, we each have the power to make a positive impact on the transformation”. The future of food is in our hands and together we can rewrite the story, starting from today.

On this very same topic, the World Food Day 2021 is going to raise awareness of the need for supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Doing this requires attention and actions across sectors and from every individual in any way possible. Let’s join us at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Viet Nam in raising awareness of this national and global effort in changing the way we produce and consume food for a better life of Vietnamese people.

About the Contest

The Contest is open to everyone: students, journalists, photographers, United Nations staff and others.
Entries need to be received at FAO by end of October 10, 2021. Participants should provide personal data information (Name, Address, Occupation and Contact Number) and submit together with photos via email to Ms Vu Thi Ngoc Diep at diep.vungoc@fao.org

Photos should be digital, in JPG format with a minimum of 2MB file size and 2000 pixels. Each participant should submit not more than 10 photos and each being clearly marked with captions.

Photo Categories:

Please choose at least one category for your submission:

• Family meal: images showing families eating in an everyday context, whether at home or out
• Food in the field: images of food in its natural setting, showing the production of food (e.g.: rice paddy, cattle farm, fish farm, etc.)
• Food consumption: images showing food and the consumption of food in different settings such as: local open market, convenient store, supermarket, street vendors, etc.

Contest prize:

• Three winners for each category will be selected and announced on October 15, 2021.
• Awards and certificates of recognition signed by FAO Representative in Viet Nam will be presented to the winners.
• Winners’ photos will be selected to publish in FAO Publications.

Copyrights, privacy and other conditions:

• FAO Viet Nam retains the copyright on all photos submitted.
• Upon publication of the photo, only the first initial, full family name will be published. No other personal information about the contestants will be published or shared.

Raising levels of nutrition offers one of the greatest developmental opportunities in the world today. Reducing wasting, stunting, underweight, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases has the potential can potentially contribute to reaching targets across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, a major challenge for improving nutrition is the inadequacy of current diets since billions of individuals are still unable to afford and access healthy diets.

Bearing this in mind, FAO has been promoting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. During this high-level event, participating countries and international organizations will discuss how to enhance FAO’s work in nutrition in order for it to catalyze he achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the context of the Strategic Framework 2022–31.

Please visit the dedicated webpage to join the event and get access to relevant information and documentation.

The objective of this event is to underscore the urgency of addressing food security, hunger and poverty issues within the climate change context for concrete climate action and show how scientific evidence can contribute to creating sustainable solutions. The outcomes of the UNFSS 21 (including the Science Days and the Pre-Summit) will feed into this panel discussion at pre-COP26 and pave the way to wider discussion at COP26.
 
To attend, please register using this link.

As part of the global celebrations of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, the Permanent Mission of Andorra to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of San Marino to the United Nations, FAO and ITU are partnering to bring together Member States, UN entities and non-state actors to highlight innovative initiatives to fight food loss and waste along the value chain, including through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

This year, the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste will make a call for public and non-state actors to prioritize actions and redouble efforts to use innovation to reduce food loss and waste, restoring and building back better, more efficient, inclusive, sustainable and resilient agri-food systems.

This event will be held as part of the World Summit Information Society’s WSIS TalkX to highlight stakeholders’ efforts on ICTs for development.

Registration is available here.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ring a global alarm to be better prepared and better control infectious diseases. During the past one and half years, the world has rapidly responded to COVID-19 pandemic and has been introducing innovations to curb its spread, including vaccination. In contrast, rabies, despite being recognized as an infectious disease for more than a thousand years, and kills people including children here in Viet Nam, still lacks enough attention to control its spread and impact. 

This year’s theme, Rabies: Facts not Fear, aims to increase public understanding of rabies, and reduce fear about the disease by providing accurate information. The focus is on the Facts about the dangers of rabies and how to prevent it; and not spreading Fear about the disease by relying on misinformation and myths. Everyone is invited to play a role in fighting the spread of rabies, which, like fighting COVID-19, begins with understanding the facts and not taking part in spreading fear through misinformation.

According to the National Program on the Control and Elimination of Rabies, in the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), a total of 40 people have died from rabies in 22 provinces in Viet Nam since the beginning of 2021. Despite the significantly decreased number of rabies deaths in some provinces, the total number of human rabies deaths from 2017 to 2021 increased in 20 provinces compared to the period from 2011 to 2016. This is worrisome as rabies has been reported from provinces where no cases were reported previously.

Death from rabies is totally preventable.  On the occasion of the World Rabies Day, FAO and WHO urge the Government of Viet Nam at all levels to prioritize and increase resources for the management of dog populations, the vaccination of dogs, and provision of post-exposure prophylaxis for those bitten by dogs. Together, we can: 1) raise public awareness about the disease, especially the importance of vaccinating animals, in particular dogs, and those humans who have been bitten by dogs; 2) increase availability, accessibility, and affordability (3 ‘As’) of both animal and human vaccines; and 3) advocate for a high-level commitment to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

“While effective animal and human rabies vaccines serve as important tools to prevent human deaths from rabies, awareness is the key driver for the success of community engagement in rabies prevention and control efforts”, said Dr. Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Viet Nam. “WHO will continue to raise awareness and support Viet Nam in rabies elimination programs and we would like to call for local, national and international partners to join our efforts to increase rabies vaccination coverage and bring an end to human deaths from dog-mediated rabies in Viet Nam.”

“Dog vaccination is the most cost-effective single intervention to protect humans from contracting rabies. High quality vaccines are available. Vaccine coverage needs to reach at least 70% of the canine population to break transmission from dogs to humans. Safe, effective human vaccines are also available as pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis vaccines. FAO reaffirms our support to the Government of Viet Nam in developing essential policies and mechanisms to eliminate human death from dog-mediated rabies”, added Rana Flowers, FAO Representative ad interim in Viet Nam.

In Viet Nam, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Health, in collaboration with One Health partners strongly promote the introduction of efforts to enhance public communication; to improve dog management and vaccination; and to ensure that everyone bitten by dogs is immediately vaccinated. The two Ministries will continue to work together, to implement the third National Rabies Control Program for the period from 2022 to 2030, with the ultimate goal to eliminate human death from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. 

Rabies is a viral disease that infects the central nervous system and ultimately leads to the death of people and animals. This disease can be prevented and managed. With the steps identified, the spread of rabies can be dramatically reduced, preventing the more than 60,000 deaths of people that occur each year. Sadly, and completely preventable, is the fact that of every 10 people who have been bitten by suspected rabid animals four of them are children under the age of 15. Those most at risk live in rural areas, vulnerable populations where human vaccines and immunoglobulins are not currently easily accessible.  This must change.

Together, we can achieve “Zero by 2030".
 
World Rabies Day

World Rabies Day was created to raise awareness and advocate for rabies elimination globally and is designed to unite all people, organizations, and stakeholders against rabies.

World Rabies Day is held every year on September 28. This date was chosen as it is the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur – the first person to successfully create a vaccine against rabies.

Collaboration is critical for success and everyone is encouraged to take part. The only way that we can eliminate rabies and end the needless suffering is by working together and uniting towards a common goal – the goal of Zero by 30.

For more information, please contact:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Pawin Padungtod
Senior Technical Coordinator
Tel: 84-24-3202-0019
Email: pawin.padungtod@fao.org

World Health Organization (WHO)
Tran Thi Loan
Communications Assistant
Tel: 84-24-38500100
Email: wpvnmedia@who.int

At the conference, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu noted that “with the technical support provided by the Joint Centre, plant breeders in many countries have achieved substantial improvement through mutation breeding in a wide range of crops.” He also stressed, “Together we can transform to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind”, which is also the theme of this year World Food Day.

• Expanding international cooperation in researching, forecasting and building early warning systems for natural disasters, epidemics and sustainable management of land, water, biodiversity, cross-border water and marine resources.

President Phuc asserted Vietnam’s commitment to “work together” with all to make the realization of the SDGs – 2030 possible.

• Enable mutual learning and knowledge sharing among parliamentarians through the dissemination of good practices and lessons learned to address and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on food security

• Enhance parliamentary actions to address the impacts of COVID-19 on food systems

• Strengthen parliamentarians’ capabilities to promote adequate legal frameworks which safeguard food security and nutrition during the COVID-19 emergency.

The regional workshop aims at raising awareness on child labour in agriculture and identifying ways of accelerating prevention of child labour in all agriculture subsectors. The regional workshop also aims at building momentum towards more concerted action at local, national and regional level with a view to contribute to achievements of SDG Target 8.7 through the lens of No Poverty (SDG1) and Zero Hunger (SDG2).

The conclusions of the Workshop will contribute to the Global Solutions Forum: “Acting together to end child labour in agriculture”, on November 2-3, 2021, organized by FAO in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO).

“Over the years, the Vietnam Farmers' Unions has conducted many activities to help farmer members develop forest and farm economic models which combine agricultural production with afforestation, forest management and protection.” said Mr. Mai Bac My, Head of the VNFU Department of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Director of the FFF Phase II.

The meeting chaired by Ms. Bui Thi Thom, VNFU Vice Chair-cum-Committee Head, highlighted the key results of the FFF implementation in Viet Nam over the past year, and its work plan in the last quarter of 2021 and during 2022.

Building on the success of the first phase (2015-2017), FFF Phase II implemented in close coordination with Farmers' Unions at all levels, ministries, branches, departments, authorities and other stakeholders in Vietnam continues to support the development of forest products businesses and to increase the income of women, youth and ethnic minority groups through sustainable management of landscape. Producer organizations have learned how to provide better services to their community members and include them in policy development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation at the local, national and international levels.

In 2020-2021, despite the challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic, 35 collective producer gross and cooperatives in five provinces have improved the business capacity, market access and finance associated with gender equality and strengthened value chains of 761 official member households (41.5% female, 61.5% ethnic minority, 11.7% youth) and 1,375 associated member households. They have actively searched for market information, negotiated and signed sales contracts for their products, and increased members’ income by 10-20%, which is a clear contribution to sustainable poverty reduction for the involved rural families.

48 participants from FAO Viet Nam on behalf of the donors, relevant line ministries, agro-forestry experts, local communities, FFPOs in the pilot provinces of Yen Bai, Bac Kan, Hoa Binh, Son La, and Thai Nguyen attended the meeting. The FFF II Program Management Board received positive comments on the annual results, as well as some suggestions for 2022 and beyond, such as stimulating new FFPOs, better networking among FFPOs themselves and with related parties, especially enterprises, strengthening communication on sustainable forest management and development, and so forth.

Giving conclusion remarks, Ms. Bui Thi Thom acknowledged, praised and highly appreciated the achievements of the FFF II Program in 2020-2021. She requested the programme to continue delivering on the key tasks during 2021-2022 namely: (1) supporting the networking among FFPOs and promoting linkages between FFPOs and related parties, especially with enterprises, to establish and/or maintain sustainable timber and non-timber product chains; (2) establishing and maintaining long timber rotation models for sustainable forest management and support FFPOs to adapt to climate change; (3) training and knowledge-sharing on digital transformation in agriculture; and, (4) supporting FFF pilot models to replicate within the VNFU system.

For more information about the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF), please visit:

FFF website
FAO Viet Nam webpage
Viet Nam Farmer’s Union website

The United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 (UNDFF) reaffirms that gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will make a critical contribution to progress on all sustainable development goals and targets.

Through one of its seven pillars of action (pillar 3), the UNDFF encourages the promotion of gender equity in family farming and the leadership role of rural women. It is emphasized that strengthening women's capacities and improving their participation and leadership role in processes for political, social, cultural and economic equity must translate into an increased capacity to propose, design and participate in specific public policies that address gender inequalities.

The purpose of these virtual meetings will be to strengthen the capacities of women family farmers and their leadership role within the framework of the UNDFF so that they can actively participate in the implementation of the UNDFF at the national and regional levels, and therefore, in the design of policies and programs in favour of rural women.

The Regional webinar for Asia “Strengthening women's leadership in Family Farming and sustainable food systems” will take place on the 30th of July from 15:30 to 18:30 (Manila time). Objective of the webinar is to reflect on lessons learned and key elements for the success of these processes and the empowerment of rural women.

The workshop is to discuss project intervention framework and workplan with the participation of representatives from FAO, MARD, Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute, Son La province and other stakeholders who will be involved in the project implementation.

Viet Nam and Uzbekistan are beneficiaries of the project with a total budget of USD 3.4 million granted by the Republic of Korea. Interventions will support creating an enabling environment through the development of capacity and policy for green house cultivation of fresh vegetables.

In Viet Nam, the project targets Son La – one of the poorest provinces with high ethnic minority rate but great potential for high added value vegetables. Farmers and other actors along the value chain, including the post-harvest handling and marketing will have opportunities to benefit. The project will deliver three key outputs: 1) Protected production systems for different vegetables and locations optimized; 2) Post-harvest practices and market linkages for different vegetables and locations optimized; and 3) National capabilities on greenhouse production and post-harvest management of vegetables are enhanced.

An invasive disease, known as Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Streptococcus agalactiae linked to the consumption of raw freshwater fish, has led FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific to publish a risk profile to raise awareness of the threat.

“Many people aren’t aware of the risks associated with consuming raw freshwater fish, and it is a very common practice in Southeast Asia,” said Masami Takeuchi, FAO Food Safety Officer. “But the illnesses this practice can cause can be serious, though not always obvious, nor immediate, and in some cases that can make it difficult to diagnose and treat in time.”

Understanding the risk – learning more about it

The problems caused by eating raw tainted freshwater fish in this region were first discovered in 2015, when at least 146 people fell ill in Singapore. Some experienced severe consequences, including amputation of limbs caused by severe blood poisoning. The case was later linked to the Group B Streptococcus (GBS), and the specific strain responsible for the outbreak was sequence type 283 (ST283).

“Many microbiologists were surprised as invasive GBS disease had not been known to be foodborne previously,” said Timothy Barkham, who contributed to FAO’s work, and is an Associate Professor at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. “Another surprising point was that this foodborne GBS ST283 affected healthy adults. GBS is normally very uncommon in healthy adults.”

Outside of Singapore, cases of invasive GBS ST283 disease have also been documented in China, Hongkong SAR, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand and Viet Nam. However, as little is known, and the list of uncertainties and identified data gaps is extensive, a full risk-assessment is not yet possible. Without sufficient and validated data-sets, a much wider geographic scope of research is needed, the experts say, to determine if the disease is only indigenous to Southeast Asia or if it extends beyond. It is also possible that GBS ST283 cases have been extremely under-reported.

What countries can do

It would be best for competent food safety authorities to have full risk-assessment results at hand to consider risk-management options, but with all the uncertainties and the lack of data, only limited practical recommendations can be offered for now.

In general, it is a good idea to promote good aquaculture practices (GAPs). Also planning of a general and targeted food safety campaign, aimed at consumers, local populations or villagers to inform them of the potential risks of consumption of raw freshwater fish could work as an effective preventative measure, especially in locations where consumption of raw freshwater fish is known to be common.

“While it is important to continue strengthening the various aspects of national food control systems, it is important for the competent authorities to be aware of the issue first,” Takeuchi, said. “As the issue is relatively new, having an overview of what is currently known on this foodborne disease is possible by reading the FAO risk profile, discussing among all stakeholders in food safety, public health and fisheries/aquaculture to exchange information and share views – these are good first steps,” she said.

Specifically, below, are consideration points experts have suggested to communicate to stakeholders and villagers:

visual inspection: discarding visibly abnormal/diseased fish is expected to reduce risk, but they should not rely on visual inspections alone, as healthy-looking fish are no guarantee of safety; heat-treatment: proper heating /cooking is the only known effective risk mitigation measure; and non heat-treatments: there is no evidence that traditional fish preparation methods without heat treatment are effective. Freezing is not an effective control measure.

The launch of GAEZ v4 will be held on 17 June 2021 at 15:00 – 16:30 (CEST) via zoom platform. This launching is part of the process of developing an open GAEZ v5 platform, in collaboration with various national, regional and international collaborators, building interoperability between agriculture-related platforms, through the FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative, and international and national efforts to mainstream sustainable agriculture into development agendas.

In the framework of the World Environment Day and the launch of the recently declared UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), the Global Assessment of Soil Pollution report will be launched virtually via zoom platform on 4 June 2021 from 12:30 to 14:30 CEST.

The report will be available in digital form at on the Global Soil Partnership website

One of the key gaps in country monitoring and reporting on progress towards the SDGs is capturing the significant contribution of the private sector. While many private sector organisations – both large and small – are now collecting a significant amount of data related to their environmental, social and governance impact; this data is often not in a form easily merged with government data; or not aligned specifically with SDG indicators; or they are incomplete or inconsistent so not comparable, not communicated to the relevant national authorities. This means that countries are not able to report comprehensively on progress towards the SDGs nor to meaningfully align the private sector with the countries’ goals and strategies.

This event will explore initiatives to improve reporting frameworks and overall availability and management of data at country level by harnessing the power of the private sector to capture and share more data on progress towards the SDGs. Objectives of this event are: Raise awareness about ongoing initiatives to align private sector practices and reporting with the SDGs. Contribute to discussions on a harmonized framework for SDG reporting between public and private entities. Better understanding of key barriers to uptake/use of existing indicators/tools. Identify multistakeholder opportunities to collaborate on improving measurement and reporting on SDG progress. Increase accountability from the private sector on SDG alignment Date and Time: Thursday, 3 June 2021, 2:00pm - 3:30pm CET

Participate in this virtual event at https://fao.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jmoKG2zSTxucIYJ1LF4eKw

In 2020, FAO released the FAO Framework to Eliminate Child Labour in Agriculture to support and upscale action of agricultural stakeholders in the elimination of child labour in agriculture. Moreover, FAO launched an online consultation on the Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition: “How can agricultural policies and strategies help to end child labour in agriculture?”. Practitioners from 41 countries shared 90 contributions, highlighting diverse issues of child labour in agriculture, and lessons learned and good practices from agricultural stakeholders.

The consultation showed the importance of taking a multisectoral approach to eliminate child labour in agriculture through school feeding programmes, adequate resource management, women’s empowerment, cash transfers and digitalization, among others.

Building on these findings and FAO’s Framework, Call for Action: Ending Child Labour in Agriculture with the Help of Agricultural Stakeholders is another step towards FAO’s contribution to the International Year. The Call seeks to gather ideas and recommendations from agricultural and other stakeholders across the globe on action that can be taken to address child labour in agriculture.

The results of the Call will feed FAO’s Regional events in September, which will likewise contribute to FAO’s High-Level Global Event on Eliminating Child Labour in Agriculture.

Please visit webpage where you can upload the completed form directly to the web page or send it to fsn-moderator@fao.org. The call is open until 31 May 2021

To commemorate the IDB 2021, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is organizing a virtual event on Friday, 21 May 2021, from 14:00h to 15:30h (Bangkok time) The IDB 2021 theme – “Let us all be part of the solution” during this lingering pandemic should help us reflect and share innovative ideas and new directions for mainstreaming biodiversity across agricultural sectors in Asia and the Pacific.

Objectives of these workshop are :   • Provide guidance on making legal acquisition findings (LAF) for timber • Provide guidance on identifying, discussing and refining national procedures for LAF • Raise awareness on the benefits of and requirements for using the automated permitting systems • Explore interests of Parties in the region towards the implementation of national eCITES solutions, including the eCITES BaseSolution

Workshop’s participants are representatives of CITES Management Authorities as well as other relevant representatives of Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam to discuss opportunities towards an enhanced CITES permit management.

The two workshops are organized in the framework of the UN-REDD initiative for Sustainable Forest Trade in the Lower Mekong funded by the Government of Norway and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and UN Environment (UNEP).

Secure tenure rights are widely recognized as a key enabling condition for reducing deforestation and forest degradation.  Be it forest or agricultural lands, with clear and secure tenure comes a sense of ownership and increased motivation to protect the resource from external threats, to invest in its productivity, and to sustain benefits into the future.  Nevertheless, in many countries, tenure rights remain unclear and insecure. 

FAO’s Open Tenure tool is an open-source software application specifically designed to address the needs of field practitioners to record tenure rights. Following the principles of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure, the tool allows users to efficiently and effectively gather and compile tenure data from local claimants. The claim reports generated by Open Tenure can be used by the individual claimant, the community, or the government to submit requests for tenure recognition. Thus, Open Tenure can be a useful tool in country efforts to implement their REDD+ strategies and actions.  

With this webinar, you will learn about the basic workings of the Open Tenure tool and hear about on-the-ground experiences, followed by a Q&A session. You are welcome to forward this invitation to those in your network with an interest in forest and land tenure.    

Please register at https://fao.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sP7_40zZSgOq70zzksgZEg

The recognition of customary tenure systems and responsible land-based investments that safeguard legitimate tenure rights and right holders are the interconnected main themes for mainstreaming the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) in Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Viet Nam.

This study aims at providing an assessment of the legal frameworks in the four countries to analyse whether safeguards for legitimate tenure rights and tenure right holders can be identified in legal provisions applicable to decisions related to land-based investments in agriculture.

The assessment also aims at informing and supporting ongoing processes of policy and legal reform in the four countries, as well as the work of organizations that provide support to these processes.

Full publication can be downloaded at http://www.fao.org/3/cb3937en/cb3937en.pdf

A similar regional workshop which will include more countries is planned for June this year

The event will also enhance knowledge and practice exchanges by fostering panel discussion in the field of rural e-commerce with a wide range of experts coming from various organizations, institutions, academics, and the private sector.  The World Bank, ITU, African Development Bank, Alibaba Group, Inter-American Development Bank, and Nampya Farmers Market (winner of the Global AgriInno Challenge 2020) are invited to share their views on this important topic.

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum represents the world's largest annual gathering of the ‘ICT for development’ community. FAO has been facilitating WSIS Action Line C7 E-agriculture annually since 2005.

This session will focus on how e-commerce impacts rural development positively in the new era of digital agriculture. Experienced experts from the e-commerce sector will be invited to WSIS session to explore the impact of e-commerce in addressing the challenges which the agriculture and food sector must face to achieve SDG1 and SDG2. FAO has been actively supporting the building of Digital Agriculture Innovation Hubs through the last years to foster innovation ecosystem and culture that support the development of e-agriculture and promote the development of e-commerce.

FAO's International Platform for Digital Food and Agriculture is another initiative created to bridge the gap between the existing international fora for food and agriculture, enhance awareness on issues specific to the digitalization of the food and agriculture sectors and provide policy recommendations to governments to support decision-making at higher levels. For more information, please contact digital-innovation@fao.org.  

The objectives of the forum aim to provide a venue to identify and analyze the enabling factors and constraints to participatory policy making and how such a bottom-up approach can help ensure policy objectives are met and translated into equitable and sustainable benefits for its intended beneficiaries, primarily those at the grassroots level. Specifically, the forum aims to:

1. Identify lessons, gaps, and bottlenecks in operationalizing participatory policy making as experienced by various actors in Southeast Asian countries;

2. Provide evidence on how people participation has been an effective method for public policy making by looking at specific country cases as well as the experiences in the development of UNDFF’s National Action Plans (NAPs) in selected countries in Southeast Asia; and

3. Gather insights and recommendations on how to further promote and strengthen the adoption of participatory policy making in public policy development to maximize the benefits that reaches the grassroots and ensure that policies cater to their actual needs.

This event is a great opportunity to share and learn more about on-going initiatives across the region to support family farming in the framework of the UN Decade of the Family Farming.

FAO has been investing in developing local capacities in Viet Nam on many fronts, with the ultimate goal of promoting  healthy diets  through sustainable food systems.

In partnership with FAO, the Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA)  piloted a curriculum development process to integrate nutrition into academic curricula and build students’ skills on nutrition-sensitive food systems and value chains. Understanding the importance of food systems for healthy diets and providing students with specific skills and competencies is crucial to the transformation of local food systems.

On 27-28 April, 2021, VNUA convened a workshop whose purpose was presenting the results of the curriculum enhancement process and collecting feedback from those who have been involved, as a starting point for further improvements. The workshops’ participants included FAO, VNUA’s core project team, students who have been involved in the piloting process, as well as Vietnam’s National Institute of Nutrition-Ministry of Health, as well as partner universities such as the Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry and Can Tho University. Participants engaged in discussing opportunities for institutionalizing the enhanced courses and extending them to other academic institutions, but also in collecting lessons learnt and identifying further opportunities for applying nutrition-sensitive food systems approaches.

The workshop and the curriculum development process took place under FAO’s project Strengthening capacities for nutrition -sensitive food systems through a multistakeholder approach  —funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan and being implemented in Viet Nam, Ghana and Kenya.

FRA 2020 data were collected using commonly agreed terms and definitions through a transparent, traceable reporting process and a well-established network of officially nominated national correspondents that covers 187 countries and territories. More than 700 people were directly involved in this process.

Click to see more details :

FRA 2020 main report
An open data platform containing all country data reported to FRA
A digital report: a fresh perspective with a summary of FRA 2020 key findings

Geographical Indication (GI) food products have a strong link with traditional diets as their recognition (and registration) builds on their link to origin, including their historical anchorage in the traditions of the local community. From a consumer point of view, the distinctive quality of a GI food product is reflected in the nutritional and sensory quality, which is determined by specific local conditions in terms of production, processing and maturation.

The recent FAO publication, The nutrition and health potential of geographical indication foods, shows that some GI food products possess nutritional qualities that are the result of the unique resources, processes and environment of the territory.

The publication also discusses the limitations of current literature and ways forward. In this seminar, the presentation of the publication will be followed by a panel discussion on how GI food products can contribute to sustainable food systems and healthy diets.

Register here to join the meeting.

Consumer demand for high-value tropical hardwood products in Viet Nam has driven the illegal harvesting and import of endangered timber species from high-risk sources, presenting a challenge for Viet Nam’s national agenda on legal and sustainable timber trade.

To address this, the Centre for Education and Development (CED), supported by the FAO-EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Programme, has stepped up domestic communication efforts to promote responsible domestic timber production, trade and consumption amongst consumers in Viet Nam, and curb the use of illegal timber.

To better understand trends and preferences for timber products amongst Vietnamese users, CED conducted a nation-wide survey of 300 consumers, particularly targeting those aged 18-44 – a critical demographic due to their higher consumption of timber products. Despite buyers being aware of the overall impacts of illegal logging and associated trade, a mere 3.5 percent considered legality aspects when purchasing timber products, reporting quality and price as key deciding factors.  In contrast to existing perceptions surrounding consumer attitudes towards plantation timber, the survey revealed that 97 percent of respondents were unconcerned by the timber species. Crucially, 96 percent of respondents reported being willing to pay a premium to ensure that timber is legally sourced.

Effective communication to orient buyers towards legal and low risk timber

In recent years, Viet Nam has made significant strides in good forest governance, most notably the signature of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union (EU). The VPA defines the legality framework to produce, process and trade legal timber in Viet Nam.

Using the survey results, CED is developing a digital handbook to guide consumers towards purchasing and using legal and sustainable timber, as well as guidance on how local plantation species may be used in design and construction projects. CED believes that guiding consumers towards legal and alternative timber products can make a valuable contribution to reducing the local demand for illegally sourced tropical hardwoods.

The online guide could serve as a reference document for developing future government and/or private sector procurement guidelines or policies.

‘When consumers have a clear guide and more options for legal products with reasonable prices, good quality, good design, and which are good for the environment and society, they can make more responsible decisions regarding timber and timber products. Young people, especially young designers, will play a key role in this process,’ said Nguyen Dien, the Former Deputy Director of the Da Nang branch of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Showcasing the potential of plantation timber

In parallel, to further encourage the use of legal domestic timber by young adults, CED has established youth leadership networks in five universities across the country. These youth leaders will run roadshows and launch a design contest showcasing how domestic plantation timber can be used in furniture and housing to promote legal timber use and increase demand for low-risk domestic timber.

The CED initiative complements existing FAO funded media campaigns designed by the Viet Nam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST), targeting the private sector, media, and government stakeholders. Communicating the benefits of legal and sustainable timber is vital to protecting and sustainably managing the world’s remaining natural forests.

Since 2016 the FAO-EU FLEGT Programme has supported 22 projects in Viet Nam, amounting to over USD 2.3 million, primarily focusing on supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to produce, process and trade legal timber, institutional strengthening and capacity building, and communications.

The FAO-EU FLEGT Programme of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations is a global demand-driven initiative that provides technical support and resources for activities that further the goals of the EU’s FLEGT Action Plan. The Programme is funded by the European Union, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom.

For more information:

Centre for Education and Development

FLEGT VPA Viet Nam

FAO-EU FLEGT Programme

This is the first report of H5N8 poultry-to-human infection despite the virus having been circulating in poultry and wild birds since 2016. All the seven human cases were asymptomatic. To date, there is no evidence to suggest that severe human infections or human-to-human transmission of this virus have occurred and that this event likely represents isolated spillover of virus from infected chickens to humans.

In Viet Nam, the Department of Animal Health (DAH) has never detected H5N8 virus in their surveillance systems. DAH is going to increase testing for H5N8 virus in the national avian influenza surveillance programme starting from 2021. “Technically the H5N8 virus share antigenic characteristics with the H5N6 virus circulating in Viet Nam, the current avian influenza vaccine used in Viet Nam should remain effective to prevent the disease in poultry” stated by Dr Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator, FAO Viet Nam

“Although the risk of human infection of this specific strain of avian influenza A(H5N8) in Viet Nam is very low, we must remain vigilant and continue to practice personal protective measures against avian flu,” said Dr Satoko Otsu, Team Lead, WHO Health Emergency Program in Viet Nam.

The bird flu infections in humans have been associated with direct contact with infected live or dead poultry.  “We should continue with our coordinated surveillance both at the animal and human health sectors. The public can support by reporting sick or death events in poultry as soon as possible and by practicing personal protective measures,” added Dr Otsu.

FAO and WHO Viet Nam recommend the following behaviors:

For poultry farmers

• Strengthen biosecurity measures on your farms to minimize risk of introduction;
• Follow correct vaccine schedules and ensure good nutrition for your flock health;
• Report unusual poultry death to your village heads or local animal health authority and
• Do not allow visitors on your farms.

For poultry traders and market vendors

• Only collect poultry from traceable source and sell in permitted place in markets;
• Do not sell poultry outside markets;
• Always wash your hands with clean water and soap after contacting with poultry;
• Use shoes provided by poultry farms when you need to enter production areas;
• Always clean your shoes when you exit markets and

For veterinarians and workers involved in outbreak response teams. They should consistently wear personal protective equipment when exposed to suspected or infected birds to minimize the transmission risk.

For general public

• Regularly wash hands before handling food and often during food preparation, after handling animals.
• Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry and eggs.
• Wash and sanitize all surfaces and equipment used for food preparation.
• Avoid consume “tiet canh” blood pudding. , a Vietnamese specialty prepared with raw blood mainly from ducks. Avoid touching sick or dead animals.
• If you have been exposed to likely infected birds, report any symptoms to local health services if respiratory symptoms suspecting zoonotic influenza virus infection.
• Report any unusual death in birds and poultry to the animal health authority.

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N8) have been reported in Russia, Europe, China, the Middle East and north Africa in recent months, but only in poultry and wild birds. Other strains of HPAI, such as H5N1, H5N6 and H7N9, have been transmitted to humans before.

HPAI H5N1 killed 64 Vietnamese people since it first occurred in 2003. No human cases deaths have been reported since 2014, but occasional outbreaks in poultry caused the culling of many chickens and ducks.

Useful resources and publication

Disease Outbreak News :https://bit.ly/3uIOv3z

OIE-FAO Network of Expertise on Animal Influenza (OFFLU) statement : https://bit.ly/3kAdBgm

Questions and Answers on H5N8: https://bit.ly/3krVOrS

Live bird market biosecurity guideline: http://www.fao.org/3/i5029o/i5029o.pdf

Good farming and biosecurity practices in ducks: https://bit.ly/37MVezu

Good farming and biosecurity practices in chicken: https://bit.ly/3smdR5o

Avian and other zoonotic influenza: https://bit.ly/2ZQQkNw  

Global Avian Influenza Update: https://bit.ly/3dNfkgY

For more information, please contact:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases
Ms Nguyen Thuy Hang
National Communications Coordinator
Tel: +84.24.32020019 (Extension 103) Email: Hang.nguyenthuy@fao.org

World Health Organization (WHO)
Ms Tran Thi Loan Communications Assistant
Tel: 84-24-38500100 Email: wpvnmedia@who.int

• Children from 6 to 14 years old

• Young people aged 15 to 24 years old

• Adults over the age of 24 years old  

How do I enter?
1. Take a photo of a tree that supports your well-being.
2. Fill in the online entry form on the International Day of Forests website.
3. Post your photo on social media using the International Forest Day hashtag: #IntlForestDay  

Visit the International Day of Forests website to learn more: http://www.fao.org/international-day-of-forests/photo-contest

The event, co-hosted by the Global Nutrition Report (GNR) and the SUN Movement, will showcase the value and usefulness of the Country Nutrition Profiles and N4G commitment tracker and will help countries engage in an active discussion to better understand data needs for their engagement in the N4G commitment making process.

Bringing together multi stakeholder audiences from several key regions, the roundtable will strive to:

(i) showcase the GNR’s refreshed tools, highlighting their utility, value, and complementarity;

(ii) actively position the GNR as 1) an invaluable source of the best-available data and evidence on the state of nutrition globally, and 2) as the lead of the Nutrition Accountability Framework (NAF);

(iii) engage countries in an active discussion to better understand their data needs and to explore how they are engaging with the N4G commitment-making process, sharing further information with stakeholders on how they can make SMART commitments;

(iv) support the SUN Movement in mobilizing countries and building momentum ahead of the 2021 Tokyo N4G Summit.

In partnership with INFOFISH, the APFIC Secretariat has developed a technical webinar series, based on the work programme and the priorities of APFIC, as a replacement for the traditional face to face Regional Consultative Forum Meeting that could not be convened in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic. These webinars will be opened to registered participants from APFIC member countries, regional fisheries organizations, NGO/CSO and private sector participants with interest in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the region.

The main format will be technical presentations, but there will also be feedback and panel discussions by invited guests from regional organizations and member countries.

http://infofish.org/APFIC/index.php/inland-fisheries-connectivity-irrigation-and-water-management

The first webinar is scheduled to start on 28th January 2021 at 14.00 hours Bangkok time (UTC +7).    All interested participants can also register for other webinars in the series here: http://infofish.org/APFIC/index.php/

“Through ECTAD, FAO has supported the Government and people of Vietnam for more than 16 years in our committed efforts to prepare and respond to emerging infectious diseases especially those posing threats to humans and the environment. We believe that healthier animals will make people especially farmers happier and keep Viet Nam safer”. Dr Pawin Padungtod, ECTAD Senior Technical Coordinator stated.

Of particular note, the project had an exhibition with publication, technology applications and videos featuring major achievements gained during the project period from 2015 to 2020. The presentations and exhibits explain how FAO, with financial support from USAID, collaborated with MARD to develop animal health and production capacities and tools for prevention, preparedness, early detection and response to zoonotic, emerging infectious diseases and AMR.

Dr Padungtod emphasized that although this is the conclusion of the EPT2 project, it is not the end of FAO, MARD and USAID collaboration. FAO is going to continue this collaboration to further reduce the risks and impacts of transboundary and emerging infectious diseases, AMR and bio-threats through an inclusive One Health approach in the coming years, contributing to Global Health Security and global diseases surveillance initiatives. 

The event had participation of more than 100 participants coming from the sectors of animal health, public health, wildlife management and conservation, donors and international organizations.

Through the FAO Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA), the Government of Belgium contributed USD 300 000 to FAO to assist 1 273 smallholder farming households (5 473 people) to the recovery of the livestock production in Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces. The support is in the form of cash transfers and each affected household receives support to purchase livestock breeders, feed and other farming supplies.

Since October 2020, the central region of Viet Nam has experienced prolonged heavy rains in association with three tropical storms that made landfall as well as typhoons. The combined storms have caused severe and widespread flooding and landslides, severely damaging crops and livestock of the farmers.

“It is very important that small holder farmer families, who lost their livestock, can resume their income activities as soon as possible after the floodings, to avoid that these families risk poverty and food insecurity. And that is exactly the ambition of Belgium's donation through the FAO Emergency fund. With today's cash transfers we hope to give the farmer families the necessary quick support to overcome the impact of the floods.” said Ivo Hooghe, Charge d’affaires of the Belgian Embassy.

The project has been working closely with the Provincial Red Cross Chapter to select the beneficiaries. The cash is channelled through the province’s Post Office to deliver to the selected beneficiaries.

 “This support is vital to help farmers get back on their feet to not only rebuild and recover, but to safeguard their livelihoods and food security,” said Rana Flowers, FAO Representative ad interim in

On the occasion of the ceremony, a short meeting was held between FAO and the Belgian Embassy representatives, leader of Quang Binh People’s Committee and representatives from relevant provincial departments to discuss the scope for further support.

From being long standing partners in development cooperation, Belgium and Vietnam have been maturing bilateral ties in different sectors. This immediate action is an occasion for Belgium to reiterate its support towards sustainable development, and to continue its support for Vietnam to respond effectively to the challenges of climate change.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Nguyen Thai Anh, FAO Programme Officer; Tel : 0945666056;  Email: Thaianh.nguyen@fao.org
Mrs. Le Thi Lan Huong, Tel : 84-24-39346179; E-mail: thilanhuong.le@diplobel.fed.be ; Embassy of Belgium

In particular, the trio focused on the resumption of agricultural production following the severe storms and floods to hit the region in October.

During the meeting, Ms. Flowers outlined the funding support mobilized by FAO, including USD 587,000 from the European Union (EU), to provide assistance in the form of cash transfers for food and basic non-food needs to households in Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces. 

Other funding streams included USD 300,000 from Belgium through the Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA), to support the recovery of livestock production of vulnerable smallholder farming households impacted by the recent floods in Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces.

The funding, in the form of a cash transfer programme, will be implemented from November 2020 to April 2021. FAO has worked directly with the People's Committees of these three provinces on how to receive and distribute the funding.  Supported by the People's Committees of the three provinces, a decision to approve the funding has been issued. The respective provincial Red Cross Association has been assigned to implement the activities. FAO will sign contracts with post offices of the provinces to send money directly to beneficiary households according to the list provided by the Provincial Red Cross.

In addition, FAO also collaborated with the Department of Livestock Production to organize 13 livestock production training courses for households in the three provinces.

Vice Minister Doanh expressed his deep gratitude to FAO, the Belgian Government and the EU for their timely support to the three provinces to overcome the consequences of these natural disasters. In addition, the Vice Minister asked FAO and international partners to continue to accompany and support MARD in preparing disaster response plans, ensuring food security and people’s living standards and livelihoods.

Leaders and experts from the International Cooperation Department and Viet Nam Disaster and Management Authorities also participated in the meeting.

The Viet Nam Prime Minister approved the National Strategic Action Plan (2017-2020) in November 2017. After seven years implementing the National Strategy and Action Plan, the agriculture and rural development sector has bold achievements e.g. basic transforming from productivity to quality and added value orientation. Nevertheless, agriculture in Viet Nam is still facing critical challenges which need structure changes to adapt with the context of climate changes, social and environmental sustainability as well as competitiveness in both global and domestic markets.

To boost transformation, MARD has been instructed by the Government of Viet Nam to develop a new Agriculture Restructure Plan for the period 2021-2025. FAO has been working side by side with the Department of Planning under MARD to support the drafting and consultation.

The  national consultation workshop today  will help to seek comments, inputs and discussion on the implementation of the ARP 2017-2020, the draft ARP 2021-2025 from multi-stakeholders, including government institutions, international development partners, private sector and CSOs.

The objectives of this workshop are:

• To consult stakeholders on the implementation of the ARP 2017-2020 and contribution to the ARP 2021-2025 for consolidation, finalization, approval and put in to implementation in early 2021;

• To communicate and mobilise participation of stakeholders in development and implementation processes of the ARP.  

Approximate 200 participants of the workshop include leaders from MARD, Senior officials from relevant ministries, Representatives from International Development Partners such as  FAO Viet Nam, UN agencies, WB, ADB, EU, Bilateral donors, CSOs and local NGOs, Associations, Unions, Private sectors, Provincial leaders and media.

Ms Le Thi Hue Deputy Head of Animal Drug Management Division Department of Animal Health Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Tel: 091-217-7264 Email: lehue1973@gmail.com

Ms Tran Thi Loan WHO Media Focal Person World Health Organization Viet Nam Country Office Tel: 024-3850-0100 Email: wpvnmmedia@who.int

Ms Nguyen Thuy Hang National Communications Coordinator Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Viet Nam Tel: 024-3202-0019 Email: Hang.NguyenThuy@fao.org

Further resources and information:
http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-antibiotic-awareness-week/en/ http://www.fao.org/antimicrobial-resistance/resources/publications-archive/en/  

The spread of COVID-19 has affected supply chains and international trade across the region. But concerns among food safety stakeholders and consumers that COVID-19 might be transmitted through food – messages largely driven by inaccurate and incomplete information – has further fueled the misunderstandings.

In response, FAO and its partners are convening a four-day Regional Food Safety Conference in Asia and the Pacific. The virtual Bangkok-based forum is re-examining many of the claims of alleged COVID-19 tainted food imports to restore confidence and good hygiene in food handling, processing and consumption.

“Across Asia and the Pacific, news on food safety issues frequently hits the headlines and reports of food contamination and foodborne diseases regularly cause alarm among the public and impact local businesses,” said Jong-Jin Kim, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative. “The concern among consumers may reflect a lack of confidence in the way food safety is enforced and practiced, and that’s why a forum such as this is important to restore confidence with respect to the coronavirus, but also to recall that, at the same time, good food hygiene is necessary to avoid contracting other quite serious foodborne diseases.”

Food safety experts from across the region are emphasizing the critical importance of pre-requisite food safety programmes such as good hygiene practices and they are underlining the need for a concerted effort to promote food safety standards and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures as well as investments in new technologies and digitalization.

Consumer trust must be earned – and that calls for investment

Improving food safety standards across the Asia-Pacific region will require greater investment in the infrastructure and technical capacity to assure that all food available in the marketplace is safe for human consumption. As just one example, in many parts of the region, cold storage and appropriate transportation is hard to find, creating a higher risk that the food can become contaminated and cause illness if not cooked thoroughly. 

Legal and regulatory frameworks for food control including imports which are in consonance, if not harmonized, with those of other countries are important priorities for Members. The conduct of national food safety assessments, making improvements over time using indicators is theoretically a good approach. Ensuring multi-sectoral co-ordination mechanisms across the food chain and good corporate governance, with up-to-date regulations and enforcement, remains a key priority.

Working with media to get the story straight

The growth of information technology has had an impact on consumer confidence relating to food safety. Inaccurate news can spread quickly through social and electronic media where lack of accuracy can result in unwarranted fears leading to unnecessary actions, such as the destruction of food, based on hearsay rather than science. This is aggravated by limited expertise in the Asia-Pacific region on risk communication which, if better promoted, could help to ensure that correct information is made available at the right time to prevent misunderstandings among consumers.

Behavioral change communication, and the creation of a ‘food safety culture’, are approaches that need to be placed higher on the agenda of national food safety authorities. These require a serious commitment to build greater understanding among food business operators, supply chain actors and consumers to assure food safety measures are in place from farm to table.

In short, the forum was told we must all work together to demystify food safety for national media organizations.

Food safety means food security

It is now well-recognized that food security, food safety and nutrition go hand-in-hand, and achieving Zero Hunger within the framework of the world’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is about more than providing adequate food for everyone, it’s also about ensuring safe and nutritious diets for all.

The Regional Food Safety Conference in Asia and the Pacific is co-hosted by FAO and the Ministry of Public Health, Royal Thai Government and welcomes all competent authorities, private sectors, civil societies, academia, students, media and the general public to this in-depth discussion on key food safety issues. These virtual sessions are spread across four days in November. Registration is free and can be found in this link.

The theme of this forum is “Regulate. Delegate. Participate.” When it comes to regaining trust in food safety, three is not a crowd.

Click VNUA website to read more information about the workshop.

Hanoi, Viet Nam. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today announced an emergency project to respond to the severe floods in the central region of Vietnam. FAO, with financial assistance of EUR 500,000 (USD 587,000) from the European Union will provide assistance in the form of cash transfers for food and basic non-food needs to at least 6,000 of the most vulnerable families affected by the floods in Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue provinces.  

In addition, FAO has made available of USD 300,000 from Belgium through the Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA), to support the recovery of livestock production of vulnerable smallholder farming households impacted by the shock of the recent floods in Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces.

During October 2020, the central region of Viet Nam was hit by four tropical storms and prolonged heavy rain that caused serious damage to agricultural production, shelter, water and sanitation and, consequently, threatened the food security of vulnerable households. Compounded by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent storms and floods have pushed millions of people into acute vulnerability in need of assistance.

“The recent floods in Viet Nam have left millions of people in need of assistance. Many have lost their homes, properties and, often, their sources of income,” said Olivier Brouant who oversees EU’s humanitarian response in Viet Nam. “This funding from the European Union will ensure many of the most affected families receive much-needed supplies to help them survive through the difficult days ahead.” added Olivier Brouant. FAO, through the EU humanitarian aid funding, will provide multi-purpose cash grant to 6,000 vulnerable households, VND 1,800,000 (USD 78) to each, in the three provinces. While the project’s principal objective is to restore vulnerable households’ food security, the transferred funds will also cover other basic non-food needs.

The second project, funded by Belgium through SFERA, aims to support the recovery of the livestock production of smallholder farmers using a cash transfer programme and targets 1,273 vulnerable households. Each targeted household will receive VND 4 million (USD 173) to purchase livestock breeders, feed and other farming supplies.

“With many vulnerable farmers and households hard hit by these severe weather events, this twin-pronged support will help many to get back on their feet to rebuild and recover to safeguard their food security and livelihoods” said Nguyen Song Ha, Assistant FAO Representative (Programme) in Viet Nam. FAO will continue working closely with government and development partners to support the emergency response and early recovery to the affected provinces. Particular attention will be given to especially vulnerable members of communities, including women and girls, children, the elderly and people with disabilities. All interventions will employ COVID-19 transmission prevention measures to avert potential spread of the disease.

For more details, please contact Mr. Nguyen Thai Anh, FAO Programme Officer at Thaianh.Nguyen@fao.org

This is an activity of FAO Global Programme entitled “Mainstreaming of the VGGT in the Context of National Food Security and sharing of lessons across multiple countries through a transversal approach in the Mekong Region”, which is covering Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam.

The Learning Program is designed to support government authorities engaged in the promotion, approval and monitoring of land based investments to promote socially responsible and financially sustainable investments that benefit communities, investors and society as a whole. Through the program, participants will have the opportunity to share and spread the knowledge, to advise and guide the work of others as well as to work with FAO experts in agricultural investment issues.

The Learning Program includes 2 phases, including online workshop in 4 weeks (from 23 September to 23 October) and Face to face workshop in 4 days (from 10 to 13 November). Participants come from Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Investment and Planning, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resource, Provincial People Committees, provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, research institutes and universities in Viet Nam. Participants are expected to consolidate the knowledge acquired and enhance the capacities of government authorities in facilitating and promoting responsible agricultural investments in a sustainable way.

The workshop was co-organized by FAO Viet Nam and the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). Participants of the workshop are representatives from MARD, provincial and district agriculture department leaders, Farmer Association and Cooperatives as well as some related private sectors at provincial level.

The objective of this workshop are:

Introduce new FAO technical support project for development of modern business cooperatives for small farmers in Tay Ninh province TCP/VIE/3702

Generate recommendations during the discussion on policy and legal framework for the development of cooperatives to assess needs and recommend improvements.

With this project, FAO will build capacity of MARD departments, local authorities and Viet Nam Cooperatives Alliance (VCA)  in facilitating the cooperative establishment and operations through the introduction of a business cooperative model to enhance the competiveness and inclusiveness of agricultural, aquatic and forest value-chains.

The new cooperative movement, gaining momentum from this project, is expected to revive and contribute to the national socio-economic development strategy beyond 2020.

- To provide participants with a global overview on the development of UNDFF Action Plans in the world and in Asia.
- To showcase experiences from different Asian countries in the promotion and elaboration of UNDFF National Action Plans that can serve as an inspiration to other countries and stakeholders. 
- To reflect among participants in the key elements, as well as the critical points to promote and develop UNDFF National Action Plans to support family farmers in Asia.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS:

The conclusions of the Exchange session will be incorporated to the “Report on the implementation of the UNDFF 2019-2028 through national and regional action plans:  lessons learned, good practices, challenges and opportunities” that the WRF will publish as part of a Letter of Agreement signed with FAO to monitor the progress in the implementation of the UNDFF 2019-2028.

AGENDA: (draft version) .

00-9.15      Welcome and  opening remarks
9.15-9.30   A global overview on the development of National and Regional Action Plans of the UNDFF 2019-2028
9.30-9.45   Regional initiatives to promote the UNDFF in Asia
                 Conclusions of the Regional Forum “Sustaining Family Farming in Asia-Pacific”, October 6-7
                 UNDFF Regional consultation for South Asia, November 5-6
                 Regional Communication campaign on Resilient Family Farming
9.45-10.15 Development of UNDFF National Action Plans. Exchange of experiences
                 Nepal: UNDFF Action Plan for 2020-2028
                 Indonesia: National Action Plan for Family Farming 2020-2024
                 Philippines:  definition of a roadmap to build the UNDFF National Action Plan
10.15-10.45Q&A and comments
10.45-11.00 Conclusions and closing remarks

According to the National Program on the Control and Elimination of Rabies, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), as of today, a total of 57 people have died from rabies in 29 provinces in Viet Nam since the start of 2020. This is relatively higher compared with the figures this time last year and is worrisome as rabies has been reported from provinces where no cases were reported previously.

Rabies is one of the oldest and most terrifying diseases. Once clinical symptoms appear, it is virtually 100% fatal. While effective vaccine is available, every year an estimated 59,000 people from more than 150 countries, mainly from poor or vulnerable communities, succumbto rabies. Up to 40% of victims are children younger than 15 years. In Viet Nam, approximately 70-110 deaths are reported each year for the past 10 years.

There is no room for complacency or inaction. It is critical to invest in rabies elimination and accelerate strengthening both human and veterinary health systems to save preventable deaths.  FAO and WHO call for concrete actions in strengthening inter-sectoral coordination, increasing risk awareness, promoting dog vaccination and management, enhancing public trust on rabies vaccination for humans, and improving financial and human resources as Viet Nam continues its fight against rabies.

Ms Rana Flowers, FAO Representative, “We would like to urge the government, national and international partners to join our efforts to increase rabies vaccination coverage in dogs and end human deaths from rabies in Viet Nam. We have the good vaccines which can minimize the risk of dog-mediated rabies. By working together, we can stop rabies in dogs and save human lives.” the Representatives reiterated.

“While the fight against COVID-19 continues, our collective efforts to ensure essential public health services should not be interrupted, including the country’s rabies elimination programme,” Dr Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Viet Nam, called for the furthering of country investment in programmes for rabies prevention and elimination at all levels. “We need to push for appropriate policies and mechanisms to ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of rabies vaccines both for dogs and humans,” he added.

In Viet Nam, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ministry of Health continue to implement the National Program on the Control and Elimination of Rabies which was approved by the Prime Minister in February 2017 and the Order 31/ CT-TTg dated July 6, 2017 of the Prime Minister on Strengthening Urgent Measures to Prevent Rabies. The two ministries, in collaboration with One Health partners, including FAO and WHO, have jointly advocate for the “commitment into action” of all levels of government in the prevention and control of rabies; to strengthen inter-sectoral collaboration, including health, agriculture, education and mass organizations; and to enhance public communication to improve dog management and vaccination, ensuring that people bitten by dogs are immediately vaccinated, and elimination of rabies in Viet Nam by 2030.

This year marks the 14th annual observance of the World Rabies Day since the governments across the world has collectively responded to the call for rabies elimination, bringing together relevant sectors, and engaging local, national stakeholders and the global community in the fight against rabies.

For more information, please contact:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Ms Nguyen Thuy Hang One Health Advocacy and Communications Coordinator Tel: +84.24.32020019 (Extension 103 Email: Hang.nguyenthuy@fao.org

World Health Organization (WHO) Ms Tran Thi Loan Communications Assistant Tel: 84-24-38500100 Email: wpvnmedia@who.int

To continue FAO’s drive for increased innovation and in support of next week’s International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, this month’s InnoVentures Lab will highlight how hackathons can spur innovation, with a focus on the Ayadee Foundation’s recent hackathon in support of reducing food loss and waste.  

FAO’s Chief Economist Maximo Torero will host a discussion with the Ayadee Foundation’s founder Peter Johnson; hackathon mentor and President of the Produce Alliance, Melissa Ackerman; and hackathon participant and co-founder of Homni Supply, John Poor.   A live Q&A session will follow the presentations.  

A webinar will be held  on 24 September from 1pm to 2PM CEST  with a special edition on "InnoVentures Lab – Hackathons: A Powerful Methodology to Drive Interdisciplinary Innovation"

To register for this webinar, please click here or copy and paste the link in your browser: https://fao.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dSGEpM3PSzmUB9H0r7ZuUw

Available in a digital format, this year’s edition has also been enriched with an assessment of the progress made at national, regional and global levels towards the achievement of the SDG targets. This assessment is supported by a methodological annex and a dedicated table summarizing the main results.

According to the latest data and estimates collected before the COVID-19 pandemic started, progress remains insufficient in the food and agriculture domain. Now that an unprecedented health, economic and social crisis is threatening the lives and livelihoods of both rural and urban communities worldwide, eradicating hunger, achieving food security and preserving natural and genetic resources remain even more challenging.

The report highlights a series of recommendations to put the world back on track to reach the Sustainable Development Goals related to food and agriculture. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, these interventions will be critical for reversing the trends of rising hunger and for reducing the number of people living in extreme poverty.

FAO is hosting “Green cities to build back better for SDGs - A new powerful venture”, to be held on the occasion of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The virtual event will launch the “FAO Green Cities Action Programme”, a new initiative focusing on small, intermediate and metropolitan cities that aims to improve people’s wellbeing through increased availability of and access to products and services provided by green spaces, including urban and peri-urban forestry, agriculture and by sustainable food systems.

The High-Level event will kick-off a dialogue with key actors at national and international level and will be an opportunity to call on cities, donors and partners to join the initiative.

The launch of the FAO Green Cities Initiative on Friday 18 September 2020 (18.00-20.00 Rome time / 12.00-14.00 NY time) to be held on the occasion of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly.

Starting with a keynote address by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu on "FAO’s vision for Green Cities and innovation", the event will also feature high-level speakers, testimonials from cities and a call to join the FAO Green Cities Initiative.

For more information, visit the webpage.

You can register to join hereFor more information, visit the webpage.

You can register to join here

This event will raise awareness on how SSTC can support the transformation of food systems for the benefit of rural poor smallholder farmers, addressing COVID-19 related vulnerabilities and the needs of people already at risk of being left behind.

Three years after the release of their Joint Roadmap on strengthening SSTC collaboration among the Rome-based Agencies, FAO, IFAD and WFP will share their views on how SSTC can also support the transformation of food systems and address immediate and mid-term needs, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Join the RBAs celebration here

Please register to interact at fao.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oogAzatjRxW5U0Iw55ZHWg or join to attend at Webcast

The objectives of the workshop are to present

• the objectives and structure of the project as defined in the GEF-approved Project Identification Form (PIF);

• the goals and team for the Project Preparation Grant (PPG) phase;

• a description of the mandatory contents of the final Project Document;

• the GEF 7 Results Framework and the PPG work plan;

• the process for securing all mandatory documents.

The groundwater resources have a considerable impact on human livelihoods and socio-economic development. Groundwater is critical for rice production and makes a substantial contribution to the national GDP of Viet Nam. The lower section of the Mekong River Basin is underlain by a major transboundary aquifer system shared by Cambodia and Viet Nam: The Cambodia – Mekong River Delta Aquifer. This transboundary aquifer system (TBA) connects two ecosystems of global environmental significance and socio-economic importance: the Tonle Sap area and the Mekong Delta, and includes some major urban areas, including Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City.

In this context, Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment (MoE) and Viet Nam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) have partnered with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to propose the project:  “Enhancing sustainability of the Transboundary Cambodia - Mekong River Delta Aquifer” to be funded by the GEF International Waters (IW) Focal Area. 

The proposed project - targeting the main aquifer of the Lower Mekong Basin shared by Viet Nam and Cambodia - will complement the recently approved GEF-World Bank project.

The Project objective is to strengthen environmental sustainability and water security in the Lower Mekong Basin by focusing, for the first time, on improved governance and sustainable utilization of the Cambodia-Mekong River Delta Transboundary Aquifer.

On the third day of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific, the FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, Government Ministers as well as civil society and private sector representatives voiced concern over COVID-19's impacts on the food security and livelihoods of millions of people, and urged for greater action to overcome the food and agriculture challenges facing the region.

They spoke during the Ministerial Session of the virtual conference, which is hosted by Bhutan and aims to define the region priorities for the coming years, as well as to elaborate strategies to fight hunger and malnutrition and advance the transformation of agri-food systems, making them more sustainable, productive and resilient.

"We need to recognize that the food and agriculture sectors, including fisheries, forestry, crops and livestock, and the families that rely on them for their livelihoods, have been badly affected by the spread of the pandemic," said Bhutan's Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji, who delivered the session's keynote address on behalf of his country's Prime Minister.

The FAO Director-General highlighted that small and vulnerable farmers must be at the centre of the response.
"Smallholder farmers and their families, food workers in all sectors, and those living in commodity- and tourism-dependent economies are particularly vulnerable. They urgently need our attention," QU urged.

The Asia-Pacific region is home to more than half of the world's undernourished people, and with the impacts of COVID-19 the number of hungry people in Southern Asia could rise by nearly a third to 330 million in the next ten years.

During the session, Mr Le Quoc doanh, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, shared the challenges to and priorities of Viet Nam’s agriculture in the context of increasing climate change and pandemics. “We would like to call for assistance from FAO, donors and partners for Viet Nam to improve the related institutions, policies and innovative technologies which support the agricultural restructuring program toward higher added value and sustainable development,” he added.

 "The novel coronavirus has implications for local, national, regional and global policies and it is important that global and local conditions alike are recognized when confronting this pandemic," said the Independent Chairperson of the FAO Council, Khalid Mehboob.

"The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the vulnerability and weaknesses of already fragile global food systems. We must take urgent action to transform our food systems," stressed Thanawat Tiensin, the Chairperson of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), an international and intergovernmental platform which includes the private sector and civil society and reports to the FAO Conference and the UN General Assembly through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Speaking on behalf of the civil society, Chime P. Wangdi, Secretary General of the Tarayana Foundation in Bhutan, acknowledged farmers across the region as "food heroes" and "food frontliners".

"There is a silver lining though in this pandemic. The health crisis made ordinary citizens realize again the value of farmers producing local, healthy food, and governments, of becoming more self-reliant in domestic agricultural production; of shorter and inclusive food and value chains," she said.

Sustained and stronger collaboration

The FAO Director-General and many participants also urged for sustained and stronger collaboration, including leveraging agricultural technologies and innovations, to end hunger and tackle COVID-19's impacts

In this respect, the FAO chief presented the organization's recently launched COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme - aimed at mitigating the immediate impacts of the pandemic while building back better - as well as other key initiatives, with focus on innovation, that can accelerate global hunger-fighting efforts.

These include the establishment of an FAO office of innovation and the creation of an international platform for digital food and agriculture, as well as the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, which is supported by "state-of-the-art tools", namely the Hand-in-Hand Geospatial Platform and the FAO Data Lab for statistical innovation.

"The point of all these initiatives is to get the latest knowledge and tools into the hands of decision makers but also smallholder farmers, fishers, herders and foresters. This is the region where a vast majority of smallholders are producing the food and agricultural products that we rely upon," said QU.

"We need to take full advantage of the digital age through innovative partnerships with national governments, farmers, the private sector, academia, NGOs and many others," he urged.

Several participants, including Bhutan's Foreign Minister, conveyed interest in and support for the organization's current key initiatives such as Hand-in-Hand. Others acknowledged the important role innovation and technologies could play in improving food production and security.

The FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific will continue until 4 September. All sessions of the conference can be followed live via Webcast. The Timetable can be found here and the Annotated Agenda is here.

Viet Nam submitted its Initial Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to UNFCCC in November 2016. The NDC contains a number of priority measures to reduce GHG emissions and improving climate resilience in agriculture, including application of low-emission technologies and production processes, introducing climate-resilient crop varieties, and improving disease control and prevention systems.

With funding and support from FAO, the Institute for Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD), the Alliance of Bioversity and International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) are currently conducting in cooperation with other CGIAR centres a study to prioritize and define potential geographically-explicit interventions to support achievement of priority agriculture measures under Vietnam’s NDC. The study is being conducted in close coordination with the MARD, provincial authorities and other stakeholders.

The objectives of the one-day consultation workshop today are

• to update the participants on MARD’s NDC process and NDC’s option prioritization framework
• to conduct a review of the proposed projects to strengthen their technical, operational and financial feasibility 
• to identify potential implementing parties, sources of funding and implementation timelines for the projects
• to identify how to include prioritized projects or consolidated programmes into MARD’s Updated Climate Response Action Plan  for 2021-2030, with vision to 2050

The workshop is held in Hanoi with participants are representatives from Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, CIAT, CGIAR and many other related institutions.

Bangkok, Thailand. The arrival of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has had a great impact on agriculture and food systems in Asia and the Pacific, a region already beset by climate and weather related challenges, such as droughts and flooding.

Supply chains have been disrupted, demand has dropped for certain foods, resulting in damage to nutrition, health and livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people in this, the world’s most populous region.  

In response, 46 Member Nations, along with private sector and civil society organizations, will discuss a way forward during the 35th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (#APRC35) in virtual mode, from 1 – 4 September 2020.

The Royal Government of Bhutan is hosting and chairing the biennial event.

In Viet Nam, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh and delegation from Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Development will attend and deliver his speech at the virtual event.

The stakes are high

While some parts of East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific have experienced, relatively, less of an impact, the COVID-19 contagion continues to ravage many countries in the region. In addition to the threats on life, the impact of lockdowns and restricted movements have devastated the livelihoods of millions, increased acute hunger and set back progress toward achieving the world’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG-1 and SDG-2 (ending poverty and ending malnutrition).
More than ever, innovation and increased use of existing and new technology will be needed to respond to the risks and challenges to food systems posed by the spread of the coronavirus and the need to better manage natural resources sustainably in the face of climate change. A new approach to partnerships will also be required.

Media welcome

While participation in this FAO Regional Governing Body Session is by invitation only, representatives of news organizations are welcome to follow the proceedings live via Webcast and all conference documents are available online at the APRC-35 Website

A short video on innovation and technology has been produced and can be viewed here

Further information can be obtained directly by contacting the Conference Information Officer, Allan Dow, at allan.dow@fao.org

Follow us on Twitter @FAOVietNam @FAOAsiaPacific   #APRC35

Disease situation in Asia In July 2019, LSD was reported for the first time in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh with additional outbreaks in many areas of the country. In 2019, the disease was also reported for the first time in the People’s Republic of China (August 2019) and in the Republic of India (November 2019). In July 2020, LSD was reported again in the People’s Republic of China. In China, Between 15 July and 15 August 2020, 5 LSD outbreaks were reported, in Leye County (15 July) and Tianlin County (20 July) in Baise City. In addition, 19 outbreaks on 6 August 2020 in Taiwan province were reported. China is conducting emergency vaccination.

In Western and Central Asia and Caucasus, LSD continued to be reported in Georgia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel, West Bank and Syrian Arab Republic during the period 2018-2019, and in 2016 and 2017 the disease was reported also from Georgia, Armenia, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and, for the first time, from Kazakhstan. In 2014-2015 LSD was reported also in Armenia, Azerbaijan, in the island of Cyprus (in the areas not under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus), Turkey, Kuwait, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia. LSD is considered widely present in Turkey, where in 2019, 131 LSD outbreaks were reported. A decrease of LSD events had been observed between 2014 and 2016 (when 100% compensation plan and mandatory vaccine campaigns were applied), but then, from 2017 to 2019, the number of reported outbreaks started to see an increase.

Risk assessment Preliminary risk assessment results showed that the risk of LSD introduction and spread to Viet Nam is high with low to moderate uncertainty. Short spread can occur quickly and progressively from China through vectors. Longer spread could occur through cattle/buffalo informal trade (truck or foot) since China does not export to Viet Nam. If informal trade occur with trucks, vectors can also be transported to Viet Nam. Cattle/Buffalo Products do not constitute a major risk as compared to live animal trade/vector.

FAO Viet Nam actions

FAO Viet Nam has been working closely with Viet Nam Department of Animal Health (DAH) to increase awareness about the disease, assess the current situation and managing the risk of LSD introduction and spread;

• Shared risk communication materials (in Vietnamese) on LSD recognition for farmers and veterinarians;
• Reinforce control of animal movements and the trade of animal products (including semen);
• Reinforce biosecurity measures at border control points (e.g. quarantine stations, animal surveillance).

At FAO Rome, an Incident Coordination Group (ICG) was activated in December 2019 covering India and Bangladesh and has been extended to all Asia.

The SOLAW was FAO's first flagship publication on the global status of land and water resources aimed at sensitizing its target audience on the status of land resources at global and regional levels and FAO's viewpoint on appropriate recommendations for policy formulation.

Since the launch of SOLAW in 2011, numerous important developments have taken place and thus need to update the changes, status and trends of land and water resources. The new edition of SOLAW is scheduled to be published in 2021 and the preparatory work lead by the Land and Water Division (CBL). To assess and collect the data at national and regional levels, CBL SOLAW Team is organizing a regional consultation and introduction of the assessment methodology, DPSIR framework with Web conference (Zoom) arrangement.

The web conference is scheduled on 4 & 6 August 2020 (14:00-15:30 BKK time)

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría and FAO Director General QU Dongyu will present the report (in English) during an online event starting at 11:00 CEST (10:00 BST/9:00 GMT).

The presentation will be webcast live here without registration.
http://www.fao.org/webcast/home/en/item/5333/icode/

Website: http://www.fao.org/publications/oecd-fao-agricultural-outlook/2020-2029/en/

Amid the pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic disruption as well as an ongoing drought, life for Chau and her family has become increasingly challenging. Normally she takes care of two grandchildren for her son, who migrated to the city for work. Recently, he stopped sending money home as he and his wife had lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Due to the market’s closure and social distancing rules, women have stopped selling vegetables and her vegetable patch and fish pond were seriously damaged by the on-going drought.

 The family now solely relies on her unstable income from daily labouring to buy food. The family is not listed as a poor household and faces difficulties in meeting requirements to access the government social assistance programme. Chau’s household is not alone though, many in her commune and others in the Mekong River Delta are in a similar predicament due to COVID-19. 

Compounding pressures from the pandemic, Ca Mau province is frequently hit by extreme weather events (typhoons, drought, saline intrusion). Since the last quarter of 2019, the province has been experiencing prolonged drought and saline intrusion damaging agriculture production and threatening food insecurity. In addition, the government’s COVID-19 social distancing order has worsened food security and livelihoods in the province. Although the government is providing social assistance to people and families impacted by COVID-19 through delivering cash grants to poor/near poor households, people losing jobs and small-scale household business, many people remain vulnerable and the path to recovery is unclear.

In response, FAO Viet Nam conducted a rapid assessment on the impacts of drought and saline intrusion and COVID-19 pandemic to food security and livelihoods of vulnerable households in Ca Mau province. The assessment is within the on-going project “Scaling up Forecast based Financing/Early Warning Early Action (FbF/EWEA) and Shock Responsive Social Protection (SRSP) with innovative use of climate risk information for disaster resilience in ASEAN” funded by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (DG ECHO). FAO works as lead agency of the project, together with UNICEF, UN Women, WFP and International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will contribute to more effective humanitarian response and also aligned with outcome of the humanitarian summit in 2016 which FAO has also committed to provide technical support. The project will also provide cash grants to 700 vulnerable households impacted by COVID-19, in addition to the on-going project implementation.

If you are interested in registering for this free course, please go to  https://adbx.online.

• When you arrive at the page, click “Register” to make a new account or “Sign in” if you have an account from the previous round (see screenshot below).
• Once you a log in, click on the course you wish to take (CSPro, or Survey Solutions – June 15 version), and click enroll to start the course.

Course Synopsis:

• This is a free, innovative 6 week course in which you learn to develop and digitize a questionnaire and manage data collection, processing and tabulation using either the US Census Bureaus’ CSPro or the World Bank’s Survey Solutions software. 
• Training is via video lectures (with subtitles), interactive training modules and tutorials, personalized instruction, quizzes and an optional COVID-19 capstone project.
• It takes 3 to 5 hours/weeks, students set their own hours and pace, and accelerate if they wish. Support is provided by the instructor and community teaching assistants.
• Certificates of completion are provided to students who achieve a score of 75% or more on the quizzes.  The optional capstone project digitizes a World Bank COVID-19 assessment questionnaire. Adapting this to a telephone interview is relatively simple.

In  July  2019,  the  United  Nations  General  Assembly  has  declared  2021  the ‘International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour’. Today, 71 percent of child labour worldwide are found in the agriculture sector. If child labour in agriculture is left unaddressed, it tends to perpetrate a cycle of poverty for the children involved, their families and communities. These children are likely to be the rural poor of tomorrow. For this reason, agriculture stakeholders have an essential and unique role to play. While critical solutions to end child labour lie in the agriculture sector, to date, they have been largely undocumented or overlooked.

In observance of the International Year in 2021, and in order to contribute to the progress in achieving target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the online consultation aims to collect experience and case studies from a wide range of different participants worldwide. We invite you to share your experiences on the effectiveness of policies and strategies related to eliminating child labour in rural areas. Your comments and inputs will be instrumental to identify and document good and promising practices for which evidence-based research and replication could be explored. The results of the consultation will be widely promoted throughout the International Year and feed into the work of the International Partnership for Cooperation on Child Labour in Agriculture (IPCCLA) and the Alliance 8.7.

The discussion will be open from 27 April to 25 May 2020 and will be available on FAO’s Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition. Contributions can be made in all official UN languages: Arabic, English, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

We warmly invite to you register here or visit the discussion directly here.

In the meantime, feel free to contact fsn-moderator@fao.org for any additional information you may require and please do not hesitate to share this information with your professional networks.

General public:

There is no need to hoard or excessively stockpile foods at home. COVID-19 has not directly affected food production.

Shop sensibly – buying too many fresh foods at one time will mean you cannot eat them all before they spoil. That wastes food – and it wastes your money.

There is no evidence that food transmits the coronavirus, so do not deny nutrition to yourself or your families. Help yourself to fresh or well-packaged processed foods. Maintain a healthy diet for you and your family. In stressful times this is important to keep you healthy.

Wash hands before and after handling produce at home, wash the produce before cooking, and follow good household cleaning and cooking practices.

Keep in mind that the people who produce your food, like smallholder farmers and fishers, and those that bring it to market, truck drivers, warehouse workers and the staff at markets and supermarkets are our food heroes during this pandemic. Keep a warm place in your heart for them.

Buy food from small businesses and shops to support their livelihoods in these difficult times.

If you have a chance to share your food, or support the food banks, community groups or charities that provide free food to venerable groups of people, please do so. We are in this together and so generosity and caring for one another is important during this time of crisis.

Policy makers

While COVID-19 requires an immediate policy response to public health, access to nutritious and affordable food for all people in Viet Nam part of that response.

Viet Nam policy makers, government departments and the private sector must work together to ensure that the value chains that deliver our food are coordinated and functioning properly

Up to date market information on prices, production, consumption and stocks should be transparent and available to all. This will reduce uncertainty and reassure shoppers and suppliers.

It is important to keep domestic and international supply lines open and to not restrict trade or impose rules that would hinder the mobility of those commodities, domestically or internationally. Any disruptions to food supply chains by poor policy management will intensify human suffering.

Local authorities should ensure the following human and food safety measures:

Physical distancing between vendors

Sufficient space for customers to circulate; defined entry and exit points

Separation between plant foods (fruits, vegetables), animal foods (meat, fish) and dry foods (rice, pulses)

Supply of clean water and ice as well as sanitation facilities

Cleaning of retail and storage areas, cold boxes and transport (trucks, vans) that bring in the food

Vendors, handlers, drivers and all involved in the retail of food are aware of hand washing and have sanitizers and masks

From small village markets to the large grocery store chains in densely populated cities like Bangkok, Manila, and Jakarta, food appears plentiful enough and the initial panic buying has subsided. Indeed, most countries have recognized the need to keep food and agricultural supply chains open, and have taken action to achieve that.

However, the impact of lockdowns and the interruption of the free flow of other goods and services – combined with the lack of available labour – has raised the specter of longer term disruptions to daily life, livelihoods, and cash on hand. Will that cause food to rot in the fields? Will there be enough food? Will the price of food dramatically increase, hurting the poor and marginalized even more? These uncertainties are the main causes of concern.

Collaborating to find answers and a way forward

In order to better understand the present situation of our food systems in the face of COVID-19, and to predict the ongoing and future impact on food systems in Southeast Asia, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have convened a webinar on “The Future of Food Systems in Southeast Asia post COVID-19.”

The webinar examined the challenges to the subregion’s food systems amid COVID-19, the future of food systems in Southeast Asia after the pandemic, and discussed potential measures to safeguard food systems.

In his opening message, Dr. Matthew Morell, IRRI Director General, highlighted the impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable sectors of the population. “The crisis is felt widely but unevenly. The impacts of the pandemic pose immense threats to the health of communities already struggling with hunger and on the livelihood of vulnerable groups including farmers.”

In addition to speakers from FAO and IRRI, the event brought together agriculture experts from a variety of regional bodies including the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Grow Asia.

The speakers emphasized the importance of innovative research for development, investments in food systems, and implementing evidence-based policy measures to safeguard food systems during and after the pandemic to ensure resilience. Above all, collaboration would be key to success.

“This kind of collaboration is essential for us to work jointly toward realizing the innovations that will be necessary to meet these challenges to our food systems. We all need to work together,” said Jong-Jin Kim, Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Regional Representative, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. “FAO has a long history of collaborating hand in hand with a wide range of development partners: governments, research institutes, academia, the private sector, NGOs, and international organizations, and through this collaboration we will move forward more confidently toward achieving all of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Mitigating the impact on smallholders and most vulnerable

Among the main challenges the speakers discussed were the multiple impacts felt by different groups in society: primary food producers such as smallholder farmers and those who have been without an income for a significant period of time, both rural and urban.

The webinar considered various ways that countries could help smallholders and others, particularly those in rural and urban areas who have lost their jobs. In the short term, this lack of economic access to food is a major challenge that must be dealt with, the webinar heard. This could mean cash disbursements in some cases and free distribution of food in others. It was noted that governments, the private sector, and individuals were stepping up to help those in need, but more would be required.

Ensuring availability of safe and nutritious produce

Rice is the staple food for more than half of the world’s population, with a large portion of the global rice supply being produced, traded, and consumed in Southeast Asia. In 2018, rice production in Southeast Asia totals more than 220 million tonnes. While both FAO and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have projected sufficient rice stocks for the rest of 2020 in the wider Asia-Pacific region, the current measures needed to curb further COVID-19 outbreaks could cause disruptions to the supply chains critical to ensuring food security.

An excerpt from the Statement of ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry in Response to the Outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) to Ensure Food Security, Food Safety and Nutrition in ASEAN states, “We emphasise the importance of the food, agriculture and forestry sector, and urge to ensure that essential, safe and nutritious produce can continue to reach ASEAN markets during the outbreak of COVID-19.”

The contest

Are you young? Do you have a fresh idea about food safety? Do not miss this opportunity to be heard of your out-of-the-box ideas while showing your artistic talent: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) is calling for your talent with this photo, poster and video contest to hear great ideas from young generations about food safety. Let's build a food safety culture together in our region!

Nationals from or people currently domiciled in a country of the Asia-Pacific region and who are 30-years-old or younger. Go to http://www.fao.org/asiapacific/countries/en to find out if you are from an eligible country.

Review the contest call at http://www.fao.org/3/ca8674en/ca8674en.pdf and submit your product(s) on the online application form available at: http://tiny.cc/FAO_be_young.

For further information, contact: Masami Takeuchi, Food Safety Officer Isabella Apruzzese, Food Safety Consultant, Isabella.Apruzzese@fao.org

Speaking at the event, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung expressed his gratitude for the opinions from FAO and other development partners. He underlined the significance of the continuous support from the Development Partners Group in Viet Nam to address strategic issues and challenges facing the country.

Join us in the fight against AMR, sign the pledge now.

For further information, please contact: Ms Le Kim Dung Expert of Pharmaceutical Management – Inspection Department Viet Nam Medical Services Administration Ministry of Health Tel: 024-6273-2152 Email: lkdung1970@yahoo.com

Ms Le Hue Deputy Head of Animal Drug Management Division Department of Animal Health Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Tel: + 912.177264 Email: lehue1973@gmail.com

Ms Nguyen Thuy Hang Advocacy and Communications Coordinator Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Viet Nam Tel: 024-3850-1829 Email: Hang.NguyenThuy@fao.org

Ms Tran Thi Loan WHO Media Focal Person World Health Organization Viet Nam Country Office Tel: 84-4-38500100 Email: wpvnmmedia@who.int

Further resources and information:
http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-antibiotic-awareness-week/en/
http://www.fao.org/antimicrobial-resistance/resources/publications-archive/en/  

This year’s World Food Day (WFD) message is “Our actions are our future. A Healthy Diets for a #ZeroHunger World”, calling for action across sectors and society to make healthy and sustainable diets accessible and affordable to everyone. At the same time, it calls on people to improve their nutrition awareness, practices and produce safe food through effective use of natural resources to help protect the environment for today’s and tomorrow’s generations. “More than 820 million people in the world do not have enough to eat, but at the same time the rates of overweight and obese people continue to increase in all regions, particularly among school-age children and adults. There is a need to introduce food and nutrition education and culinary skills in schools and at home,” said Albert T. Lieberg, FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam has made significant progress in improving nutrition status and public health, with a sustainable reduction in child malnutrition in parallel to enhanced food security and diets. In particular, its efforts to reduce the stunting rate of children under-5, towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, is particularly noteworthy.

However Viet Nam still faces intensifying challenges encompassing nutrition, environmental pollution and climate change. The stunting and underweight rates of under-5 children remain relatively high, 23.8 and 13.4 percent respectively (National Nutrition Surveillance System 2017 - NIN). In addition, overweight and obesity rates are soaring, especially in urban areas. The nutrition status of children and students is alarming, with NIN research during 2017-2018 revealing the overweight/obesity rate of 5,000 sampled school children in a variety of provinces was 29 percent (17.8 percent in rural areas and 41.9 percent in urban areas).

“In recent decades, besides great improvements in socio-economic conditions, we have seen a lot of negative changes in eating habits, food consumption and lifestyle. A diet with few vegetables, much fat and processed food, a sedentary lifestyle – all of these factors are seriously affecting the nutrition and health of Vietnamese people,” said Associate Professor Tran Dac Phu, Director General of General Department of Preventive Medicines. He added: “To deal with these problems, we should enhance our awareness of optimal  nutrition practices, change our unhealthy lifestyles and diets to create the best nutrition and health for each of us.” To help achieve these changes, a communication strategy “Nutrition and Development” from 16-23 October was also launched today by the MoH to celebrate WFD with the key message “Proper nutrition is the foundation of health”. At the event, Nguyen Hue high school students had an opportunity to talk with NIN specialists and other guests about proper nutrition, healthy diets and practical activities to promote “A Healthy Diets for a Zero Hunger World”.

Rabies is one of the oldest and most terrifying diseases known to human, it is almost always fatal following the onset of clinical symptoms. Today, it is a common infectious disease in more than 150 countries (i). Even though this disease can be prevented through vaccine, an estimated 59,000 people each year still die because of rabies especially in the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities (ii).  Up to 40% of the victims are children younger than 15 years living in Asia and Africa.

According to the National Program on the Control and Elimination of Rabies, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), 54 people died from rabies in 24 provinces in Viet Nam in 2019 compared to 64 people in 20 provinces last year. Although there are fewer deaths, the disease has spread to four more provinces.

“Rabies cases are reported from provinces which previously had no case. Dog management and vaccination is the most important action to stop rabies transmission between dogs, and from dogs to humans. A person bitten by a dog needs to get immediate and complete vaccine against rabies. Vaccinating dogs is the most cost-effective and sustainable way to save lives from rabies,” jointly stated by Dr Tran Dac Phu, Director General of the General Department of Preventive Medicine (GDPM), and Dr Pham Van Dong, Director General of the Department of Animal Health (DAH).

Dr Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Viet Nam, emphasized that targeting high-risk areas in the country is critical to achieving Zero by 30, as he highlighted that “Strengthening political commitment; increasing risk awareness; promoting dog vaccination and dog management; ensuring public trust on, accessibility, availability and affordability on anti-rabies vaccination for humans; and improving financial and human resources are our weapons in the fight against rabies.” He further reiterated the key role played by the strong coordination between the animal and human health sectors in ensuring that rabies prevention programmes are efficiently and effectively managed in contribution to the global goal to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

“We would like to call for local, national and international partners to join our efforts to increase rabies vaccination coverage and bring an end to human deaths from rabies in Viet Nam. It is estimated that if we can eliminate human rabies from this world, we would be able to save thousands of lives, and US$8.6 billion in economic resources each year can be freed up to spend on other development goals ,” (iii) Dr Albert T Lieberg, FAO Representative for Viet Nam added.

In Viet Nam, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development continue to implement the National Program on the Control and Elimination of Rabies, which was approved by the Prime Minister in February 2017, and the Order 31/ CT-TTg dated July 6, 2017 of the Prime Minister on Strengthening Urgent Measures to Prevent Rabies. The two ministries, in collaboration with One Health partners, have jointly carried out activities to strengthen the commitment of all levels of government in the prevention and control rabies; to strengthen inter-sectoral collaboration, including health, agriculture, education and mass organizations; and to enhance communication activities to achieve the goal of improving dog management and vaccination, ensuring that people bitten by dogs are immediately vaccinated, and reducing the number of rabies deaths towards the elimination of rabies in Viet Nam by 2030.

This year marks the 13th annual observance of the World Rabies Day since the governments across the world collectively responded to the issue, bringing together relevant sectors, and engaging local, national stakeholders and the global community in the fight against rabies.

For more information, please contact: Ms Nguyen Thuy Hang, One Health Advocacy and Communications Coordinator. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Viet Nam. Tel: 84-24- 38501829 Email: Hang.nguyenthuy@fao.org

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

i.WHO. Rabies: key facts. (Accessed June 6, 2018).  

ii. Hampson K, Coudeville L, Lembo T, et al. Estimating the global burden of endemic canine rabies. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9: e0003709.

iii. FAO, OIE and WHO. Global Alliance for Rabies Control. Zero by 30: the Global Strategic Plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. (accessed June 18, 2018). 

The second training on multivariable analysis of surveillance and outbreak investigation data was organized from 5th to 16th August, 2019 in Ha Noi. Fifteen representatives from central and regional levels including DAH, the National Centre for Veterinary Diagnostics (NCVD), seven RAHOs and academia together participated the course. During this training, epidemiologists from national and regional levels learned how to apply logistic regression and survival analysis to analyze their collected data from DAH surveillance programmes and outbreak investigations to answer two important questions: “Will the event/disease occur?” and “When will it occur?”. The trainees used the actual ASF outbreak investigation data in Viet Nam from February to June 2019 for the analysis.

The two advanced AVET training courses were successfully conducted. Both FAO and DAH emphasized the significance of using skills from the training to strengthen the government of Viet Nam’s capacity to use the data from ASF outbreak investigation to assess the risk of disease spreading and identify potential critical control measures to prevent spread in the future. 

Bac Giang is one of the provinces with the highest poultry density in the North of Vietnam. Under this project, FAO has been clmảosely working with the DLP and the Bac Giang Sub-DLP&AH to improve farmers’ and local authorities’ capacity on good husbandry and biosecurity practices and to support registration, auditing and certification system of hatcheries. At the end of the project, the participating farms and hatcheries have shown significant improvements in biosecurity practices and are certified to meet the official veterinary hygiene standards. Some of the hatchery and farm models have reported an increase of 5-10% in hatchability, an increase of 3-6% in egg productivity and a reduction of 40-50% in antimicrobial use. The model poultry hatcheries and farms with good management and biosecurity practices developed by this project were able to to demonstrate the benefits and share practical experiences to other farmers within their communities. Auditors trained during the project period are also available to support auditing and certification of improved farms in the future. The success of the project was acknowledged and highly appreciated by Mr. Nguyen Duc Trong, Director of DLP.

Following the closure of this project, FAO Viet Nam team will collaborate with the DLP to finalize the auditing checklist and submit to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for inclusion in the new animal husbandry legislation, which will take effect in 2020.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) worked with a sister agency UN Women as well as Save the Children to implement the project ‘Drought Forecast Based Financing for Food Security and WASH in Viet Nam (OSRO/702/VIE/EC, 2017-2018)’ in Gia Lai and Ca Mau provinces, with funding from the Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO).

Under the project, a forecast-based financing (FbF) or early warning early action (EWEA) mechanism for drought was developed for Gia Lai and Ca Mau, in the Central Highlands and Mekong Delta respectively, which are regularly affected by drought. With FbF, forecast information is used to act in anticipation of an extreme event, rather than responding. The EWEA system translates warnings into anticipatory actions to reduce the impact of specific disaster events. It focuses on consolidating available forecasting information and putting plans in place to make sure pre-defined early actions taken when a warning is at hand. Acting early before a disaster has actually happened or reached its peak is critical: it can save lives and protect livelihoods from the immediate shocks as well as protecting longer term development gains by increasing the resilience of local communities over time..

The first phase of the project has helped to the provinces to localize the drought forecasting model that officer more accurate and reliable forecast to provincial authorities for their decision-making. The first phase has also contextualized the early actions that are then integrated into the commune disaster risk management plan.

“Building on the achievements of the first phase and lessons learnt to be formulated at this workshop, I hope the project can continue into a second phase, aiming to standardize the implementation process and institutionalize the EWEA or FbF into the government disaster risk management system. We will continue our fruitful cooperation in helping rural communities better prepare for and to become more resilient to disasters,” said Albert T. Lieberg, FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

The workshop provides a number of policy recommendations for institutionalization of EWEA/ FbF into Vietnam disaster management system and allocation of financial resources for early actions in the future. “I hope the second phase of the project can generate more concrete evidence of the effectiveness of this system, which could facilitate us to advocate for enabling policy environment for scaling up the system” said Doan Thi Tuyet Nga, Director of Department of Technology and International Cooperation, Vietnam Disaster Management Authority, MARD

Workshop participants included representatives from Viet Nam Disaster Management Authority, UN agencies, Red Cross, non-governmental organizations as well as from Gia Lai and Ca Mau provinces.

During the workshop, participants also shared new initiatives on FbF-EWEA and lessons learnt from the first phase of piloting the FbF-EWEA model for drought as well as explored the scaling-up and institutionalizing of the FbF approach in Viet Nam.

The FAO, in collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), conducted an emergency response mission from 11 – 15 March 2019 in Viet Nam to enhance the country’s ability to respond to and prevent further spread of African Swine Fever (ASF). The mission team included experts on ASF, emergency management, Depopulation, Disposal and Decontamination (3D), the swine industry and technical staff from the Viet Nam Department of Animal Health (DAH) and FAO Viet Nam.

The mission objectives were to: i) Advise the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on the best practices for culling affected pigs and disposal of carcasses; ii) Advise on the best use of available resources to contain the spread of the ASF virus in the local context; iii) Propose immediate, short and medium-term actions. The aim is to combine these actions with the Viet Nam Emergency Response Action Plan for ASF preparedness and control, other regional ASF projects and provide the basis for the formulation of a national ASF response project.

The team visited affected provinces and met with leaders of Departments of Animal Health, Livestock Production and provincial authorities to assess the current outbreak response measures and resources allocated to control the outbreak, as well as to investigate how ASF is spreading.

“The Department of Livestock Production (DLP) estimated over 2.5 million households in Viet Nam are currently actively engaged in pig farming. As such, the loss of pigs due to ASF infection and control measures leads to a heavy economic burden to many rural families. Together with other international partners, FAO will be doing its best to support the Viet Nam government in coping with the disease and its consequences.” said Mr Albert T. Lieberg, FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

The team visited both ASF infected and non-infected pig farms, burial sites and a pig slaughterhouse in Hai Phong city and Thai Binh province, where they collected information on disease epidemiology and observed current 3D practices. Although the local government authorities have been implementing strict movement control of pigs and pig products from infected communes, mobilising their resources for pig culling and disposal, small pig farming models with low biosecurity and swill feeding still continue to facilitate ASF spread.

“It is critically important for all media to accurately inform the public of the facts. ASF is a very contagious disease between pigs that has no direct threat to human health. Good biosecurity is the key factor to keeping pigs safe from ASF. Infected and exposed pigs have to be destroyed to prevent further spread” quoted Mr Ian Dacre, mission team leader.

To enhance the ASF response capacities and prevent its further spread, the mission team proposed immediate, short and medium-term actions to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. FAO strongly suggested the government of Viet Nam to observe and evaluate the situation closely to verify if and when there is a need to establish high institutional level of alert, applying a zoning approach to prevent long-distance ASF spread and developing standard operating procedures for swine depopulation and carcass disposal.

About ASF

ASF does NOT transmit to, and cause disease to, humans. It does however kill domestic and wild pigs. It is a deadly pig disease that has been historically limited to Africa with a few historical outbreaks in Europe. However, in 1997 a new incursion in Europe led to its slow but continuous spread from Eastern Europe to Asia over the past 12 years. It was reported for the first time in China in August 2018 but since then has spread very quickly to large parts of the country despite the efforts and measures implemented by the Chinese Veterinary Services. On 19 February 2019, Viet Nam announced the first ASF outbreaks in Thai Binh and Hung Yen provinces. As of 15 March 2019, the Department of Animal Health confirmed a total of 239 ASF outbreaks in 17 provinces. More than 25,000 pigs have been culled in an effort to stop further transmission.

Farmers in Asia have limited knowledge of this disease and its specific epidemiology having only recently been introduced to the region. Despite public awareness campaigns, most of the countries and stakeholders in Asia are unprepared for ASF introduction and spread.

Useful resources and publications

• http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/ASF/situation_update.html
• http://www.oie.int/en/animal-health-in-the-world/animal-diseases/african-swine-fever/
• http://www.oie.int/en/animal-health-in-the-world/animal-diseases/african-swine-fever/
• http://www.fao.org/3/a-ba0137e.pdf

Contact

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Ms Nguyen Thuy Hang
One Health Advocacy and Communications Coordinator
Tel: 84-24- 38501829
Email: Hang.nguyenthuy@fao.org

DLP is implementing the project “Evidence-Based Risk Management along the Livestock Production and Market Chain” in Vietnam to strengthen capacity of local authorities on poultry hatchery and farm registration, auditing, and certification. However, the current legislations of auditing on veterinary hygiene conditions are not suitable at small-scale levels. This causes each province using different standards for hatchery auditing and certification.

To improve risk management along the market chain at a national level it is necessary to have one national harmonised registration, auditing, and certification standard. Therefore, FAO ECTAD Vietnam has supported Bac Giang sub-Department of Livestock Production to develop and pilot a checklist for auditing veterinary hygiene conditions to certify small hatcheries in Bac Giang province. The checklist and application guidelines were based on MARD’s decision on minimum bio-security measures for small hatcheries. FAO ECTAD Viet Nam also rolled out a training for livestock manager officialsof Bac Giang Province. The training consisted of a six-day training in auditing skills and two days teaching good hatchery biosecurity and good management practices. During the training, the trainees - provincial managers - discussed, commented, and agreed to use the Hatchery Biosecurity Checklist developed by FAO to practice auditing at small hatcheries.

“By incorporating comments and corrections from trained provincial managers and having them test it through practise audits in actual hatcheries, the checklist improved its technical contents and practicality. With their full awareness of the technical knowledge and ownership of this initiative, we can increase policy support from the province for MARD’s official approval of the checklist and its application guideline. This will contribute in improving the existing auditing system for hatchery certification on veterinary hygiene conditions and contribute to improve risk management along the market chain.” said Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

As a follow-up activity, the trained provincial managerswill participate in the next project activity, auditing 50 hatcheries in Bac Giang Province before and after biosecurity interventions. The trainees will use the newly developed checklist and application guideline for the audits.

Every year, Viet Nam Department of Animal Health (DAH) submits data on the quantity of antimicrobials used in animals to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) global database. However, one of the biggest challenges for DAH is to collect valid and complete data from many sources such as pharmaceutical companies, livestock and aquaculture industries, government agencies, and private sectors. In order to improve the data collection mechanisms and the understanding of the regulations governing the use of antimicrobials in animals, DAH needs to strengthen their monitoring capacity of antimicrobial use (AMU) and develop a national AMU database based on the importation, manufacturing, and distribution of antimicrobials in the country.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), collaborated with OIE and DAH  to organize a one and a half day workshop on Monitoring of the Quantities and Usage Patterns of Antimicrobial Agents used in animals in Ha Noi from 9 – 10 January 2019. The workshop objectives were: i) to map sources of antimicrobial supply chain; and ii) to engage stakeholders from government and private sector in monitoring quantities and management of antimicrobial use in animals. Apart from sharing information on antimicrobials supply chain during the workshop, the participants also discussed how they can better contribute to the AMU data collection and development of a national AMU database.

 “Better understanding of the stakeholders and the supply chain would allow DAH to collect valid and complete data for a national AMU database and OIE reporting. As monitoring antimicrobials used in animals is one of the main components under FAO Global Action Plan on AMR, we are glad to support DAH contribution to OIE and World Health Organization (WHO) to collect valid and complete data for the national AMU database and OIE reporting. We would like to thank OIE for their collaboration and support on AMU monitoring in Viet Nam” said by Pawin Padungtod, Senior Technical Coordinator of the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), FAO Viet Nam

The workshop had a total of 70 participants from MARD departments, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Industry and Trade, General Department of Customs, OIE,  WHO and representatives from veterinary drug importers and distributors, veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturers, animal feed companies and  commercial animal farms. 

The workshop was co-chaired by the Viet Nam Academy for Water Resources and FAO Viet Nam, with participants including representatives Departments and agencies under Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) such as Water Resources Directorate, Vietnam Disaster Management Authority, International Cooperation Department; relevant Departments and agencies under Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment such as Viet Nam Meteorological  and  Hydrological Administration, Viet Nam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change, universities and research institutes, international organizations, key development partners and representatives from Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan provinces; professional associations and experts.

FAO provided two year’s technical assistance to the project TCP/VIE/3603 “Strengthening the agro-climatic information system to improve the agriculture drought monitoring and early warning system in Viet Nam” (2017-2018), with an initial pilot in Ninh Thuan province that featured IWE working collaboratively with FAO to identify drought indices applied to drought monitoring and early warning in Viet Nam. The FAO-developed Agriculture Stress Index System (ASIS) was selected to be rolled out at country-level.

The ASIS has great potential to strengthen the existing agro-climatic information system in Viet Nam to improve the agricultural drought monitoring and early warning system.

During the workshop, a number of key issues were discussed, including the requirements for prediction and early warning for drought response activities in agriculture and rural development and the application of ASIS in Ninh Thuan province and nationwide.

"This project brings together the global FAO initiative on Agricultural Drought Monitoring Systems (ASIS) and MARD’s efforts to strengthen monitoring and supervision on food security and drought management. With the success of the pilot project in Ninh Thuan province, we expect this model and best practises to be applied nationwide to strengthen the existing agro-climatic information system in Viet Nam and improve the agricultural drought monitoring and early warning system,” said Albert T. Lieberg, FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

FAO ECTAD Viet Nam and DLP organized a coordination meeting in Bac Giang Province to review the progress and share achievements and lessons learned from the project. Leaders and staff members of DLP, Bac Giang Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health (SDLPAH), district veterinary stations of seven districts, and FAO consultants joined the coordination meeting.  To date the project has provided, (i) biosecurity training courses for 166 hatchery and poultry farmers, 13 district veterinary station officers, (ii) certification auditing training for 28 livestock and animal health authorities, (iii) development of biosecurity improvement action plan for 8 selected hatchery/poultry farm models, and (iv) technical consultation for selected farm models.

From the review, behavioral change and operational challenges were identified. For the behavioral change component, only few women with decision-making power in the family participated in the training, as men are commonly the decision makers in Vietnam. Furthermore, farmers had low incentives to keep records regularly, even it was recommended for model farms. Operationally, fund transfers from central to provincial level (Bac Giang) was delayed due to the long project approval process, hence resulting in the delay of activity implementation.

To fill these gaps, the project team and government counterparts discussed ways to improve behavior change through advocacy and communication workshops and ensure timely approval from government to transfer funds from DLP to SDLPAH on time. Additionally, the project should engage more district DLP and AH staffs in training and model farm activities, which they will be informed of their duties through meetings.

“At this half way review, we found meaningful achievements such as mainstreaming gender in all the activities including selecting female farmer trainees for the pilot models of hatcheries, and poultry farms. In addition, we involved both grass-root level stakeholders (farmers) and local authorities increasing the engagement of the whole community to ensure the sustainability of the project results.” said Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

Building on the achievements, activities to fill the identified gaps will be applied and the remaining trainings and pilot modeling will be finalized in 2019. 

With the financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a total of 130 technical staff of RAHOs and Sub-Department of Animal Health (SDAH) met in their respected region over the period of October and November 2018. The regional meetings shared knowledge and information of the animal disease situation, especially on the global and national Avian Influenza (AI) and the global African Swine Fever (ASF) situation with a special focus on China. Participants also discussed prevention and control measures in their provinces and ways to improve the current surveillance system. Particularly, the participants identified gaps and seeked ways to perform better within the new department structure. Moreover, they discussed ways to strengthen the use of VAHIS, the Veterinary Animal Health Information System (VAHIS) that was launched by MARD, FAO, and USAID in August 2018. As the last session of the regional meetings, FAO technical staff rolled out a survey to participants to assess the epidemiology capacity of the region.  

“Bringing animal health officers together and encouraging them to discuss about shortcomings and possible solutions really opened up a communal sphere, enabling joint communications and actions to move forward. We believe that these coordination efforts will eventually improve animal diseases detection and response capacity of RAHO and SDAH, and ultimately improve animal disease control in their regions” said the Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

As identified in the meetings, participants expressed the need to strengthen outbreak investigation skills at the District Veterinary Staff (DVS) level. Therefore, a training-of-trainers (TOT) workshop will be conducted in December 2018 to train 160 DVS by the TOT participants in early 2019. Furthermore, with the questionnaire database, an analysis of the epidemiology capacity and needs assessment to identify gaps in skills at provincial level will be conducted. Investigations to improve the use of VAHIS will be made and training and advocacy needs for VAHIS will be further explored in 2019.  

“Viet Nam is delighted to host this important meeting. As a leading country in rabies prevention and control, Viet Nam has been the ASEAN regional focal point in the development of the ASEAN Rabies Elimination Strategy, as well as the action plan guiding its implementation. The country is also an active player in the strengthening of the collaboration mechanisms among ASEAN Member States through international conferences”, jointly stated by Dr Tran Dac Phu, Director, General Department of Preventive Medicine (GDPM), Ministry of Health, and Dr Pham Van Dong, Director General, Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam.

Although the ASEAN Rabies Elimination Strategy (ARES) had set a target for the elimination of human rabies in ASEAN by 2020, a number of ASEAN Member States may find it very difficult to achieve the goal. Rabies is still endemic in the canine population in majority of ASEAN Member States and nearly all of the human rabies cases are due to bites from rabid dogs. Controlling the disease in dogs through dog vaccination is the most cost-effective way to prevent human rabies.

“Successful rabies control programmes require a multi-sectoral, collaborative One Health approach. They require community participation, public awareness and education, and access to related health services in the human and animal sectors, including dog vaccination and human post-exposure prophylaxis. We commend the strong commitment of ASEAN Member States in collectively taking action against rabies. This regional initiative, coupled with individual country efforts, reflects that we are indeed 'United Against Rabies”, Dr Albert Lieberg, FAO Representative in Viet Nam, Dr Ronello Abila, OIE Sub-Regional Representative for South East Asia, and Dr Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Viet Nam, added.

The participants will review and further develop a roadmap to fast-track the implementation of the ASEAN Rabies Elimination Strategy (ARES), a strategic framework for rabies control activities endorsed by health and agricultural ministers of ASEAN countries in 2014. FAO, OIE, and WHO will continue to provide technical advice on ARES implementation, including status monitoring. The participants are also expected to identify key regional and country actions for 2020 onwards, as well as the support potentially needed from partners.

Rabies causes approximately 59000 of human deaths every year in over 100 countries, mostly affecting underserved communities with limited access to health and veterinary systems in Africa and Asia. In up to 99% of cases, domestic dogs are responsible for rabies virus transmission to humans through bites or scratches. In Viet Nam, human rabies has decreased from more than 400 cases in 1992 to less than 100 cases since 2016 due to strong government commitment and support from international partners. Political support and availability of human resources are critical factors to maintaining the momentum of rabies elimination effort.

FAO, OIE, WHO, and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) have established “United Against Rabies,” a collaboration platform that has jointly developed the Global Strategic Plan to achieve "Zero human rabies deaths by 2030." ASEAN Member States will continue to work with the said organizations and other partners to bring an end to human deaths from dog-mediated rabies, as well as to call for stronger actions and participation in the “United Against Rabies” initiative.

Zero Hunger and Viet Nam

The “Zero Hunger” initiative was originally launched by the United Nations Secretary and was established as the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 2) on ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.

Regarding the Zero Hunger initiative, Viet Nam is one of the countries with remarkable achievements in reducing the number of hungry and poor people. However, some gaps such as child malnutrition rate remains high, based on the WHO classification. Particularly, stunting–form malnutrition rate is high especially in provinces mainly in the Central Highlands, North Central Region and Northern mountainous region. Therefore, through the National Action Plan, Viet Nam aims to decrease the existing gaps and improve the food security and nutrition aspect of the country.

National Action Plan on Zero Hunger in Viet Nam by 2025

Co-chaired by Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Minister of MARD, and Dr. Albert T. Lieberg, FAO Viet Nam Representative, the ISG Plenary Meeting 2018 celebrated the declaration of the National Action Plan on Zero Hunger in Viet Nam by 2025 and call for the cooperation and support from international partners and related ministries/agencies.

About 200 participants from the ministries, government bodies, international community, NGOs, research institutes, enterprises, media, and corporations joined to celebrate a milestone moment for Viet Nam’s Zero Hunger commitment.

The National Action Plan (NAP) aims to provide enough food and nutrition for people in order to enhance Vietnamese people’s health, intelligence and stature; and, at the same time, implement SDG 2 to which the Government has committed with the UN.

Under the main objective, NAP aims to achieve 5 targets by 2025;

  1) Households will have enough food with sufficient nutrition all year round

  2) Under-2 child malnutrition will be reduced with following specific targets:

  3) Sustainable food systems will be developed

  4) Most of smallholders’ yield and income will increase

  5) Food will not be lost or wasted.

*for detailed targets and activities, please request for the booklet introducing activities for the Zero Hunger Initiative in Vietnam and the National Action Plan.

As agriculture and nutrition often cross-cut different sectors and require diverse expertise, a complex action plan targeting different levels ranging from policy to grass-root stakeholders will be implemented by different ministries. With MARD taking the lead, Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), Ministry of Finance (MOF), Ministry of Health (MOH), The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC), Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) will implement NAP activities to achieve Zero Hunger. Provincial Governments such as the Provincial-level People’s Committees and related departments will also play a vital role in NAP implementation.

“Agricultural production is the most effective solution to implement Zero Hunger Initiative and reduce poverty.” said Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong. “There is an idiom in Vietnam that says ‘together we can change the world’. Therefore, on behalf of the National Steering Committee on Zero hunger, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, I would like to call all ministries and agencies; international organizations; local and foreign enterprises; experts and volunteers for a joint effort to reach the goal Zero Hunger by 2025.”

“As a specialized agency of the United Nations with the clear mandate to address hunger and poverty, FAO has been taking lead in undertaking the global Sustainable Food and Agriculture program to directly or indirectly contribute to the Zero Hunger goal.” said Dr. Albert T. Lieberg, The Representative of FAO Viet Nam. “Achieving food security requires an integrated and holistic approach and we believe that, with inter-sectoral collaboration and partnership, the Vietnamese people will surely be best supported in understanding the importance of Zero hunger goal in all its manifestations and promoting the National Action Plan, so that hunger can be eliminated in our lifetimes, and possibly forever.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Do Thi Dung

ISG Secretariat –International Cooperation Department-MARD

Tel: (84-4) 37711736

Email: dothidung@mard.gov.vn

Ms. Ki Jung Min

International Outreach Coordinator

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Tel: (+84-4) 3850 0394

Email: ki.min@fao.org

Viet Nam - Cambodia

Marking its 6th time, FAO ECTAD Viet Nam, in collaboration with the Department of Animal Health (DAH) Viet Nam organized the "Viet Nam – Cambodia Cross-border meeting on surveillance and prevention of highly pathogenic avian influenza and other transboundary animal diseases" in Ho Chi Minh City on 24-25 October 2018.The meeting was also considered as the "7th Bilateral Meeting on Cooperation on Animal Health" between DAH and General Directorate of Animal Health and Production (GDAHP) Cambodia.  Co-chaired by the Deputy Director General of DAH Viet Nam and GDAHP Cambodia, 54 participants from DAH, GDAHP, Provincial officials, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Viet Nam, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAORAP), FAO Viet Nam and Cambodia joined the meeting.

During the meeting, participants shared TADs situation updates, surveillance, and key prevention and control activities including Viet Nam’s 2016-2020 national program for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Technical cooperation such as laboratory exchanges and investigation of the Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza viruses circulating in the region was presented. Following a discussion on the cross-border movement of animals and livestock products, participants agreed on a health certificate for import and export of animal and animal products. Viet Nam DAH and Cambodia GDAHP will implement the activities as agreed under the matrix of collaborative action. The next cross-border meeting is planned to be organized in 2019 in Cambodia.

Viet Nam - Lao PDR

On 5-6 November 2018, the "15th Cross-border meeting on Transboundary Animal Diseases Control" was organized to invigorate talks between Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DLF), Lao PDR and DAH Viet Nam in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. Hosted by the DLF, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao P.D.R, FAO animal health experts from Viet Nam, Lao PDR, and Regional Asia Pacific Office facilitated discussions between 35 animal health authorities from Viet Nam and Lao PDR.

Participants reviewed previous collaborative activities and shared updates on animal disease situation and livestock movement. Moreover, the strategy for bilateral collaborations was discussed. Authorities from both countries agreed to focus on three main areas for future collaboration: i) Avian influenza surveillance and investigation; ii) Improvement of biosecurity practices in poultry farming; and iii) Facilitation of safer trade and movement of poultry between Lao PDR and Viet Nam. The agreed activities will be implemented from January to June 2019 and the outputs will be reviewed at the next Viet Nam - Lao PDR cross border meeting that is tentatively planned to happen in July 2019 in Da Nang, Viet Nam.

 “As years of cross-border meetings mature, we are glad to see that networks are getting stronger and collaborations are becoming more active between countries. Following this positive atmosphere, FAO will continue to support bilateral technical collaboration and provide a forum for countries in the region to vitalize communication and cooperation in the region.” said Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

The National Steering Committee for Antibiotic Resistance, is joining forces with the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative Office in Viet Nam, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and other One Health partners to call on doctors, pharmacists, health workers, farmers, veterinarians, the food and agriculture industry, the academe and the general public to “Handle Antibiotics with Care”. Since their discovery, antibiotics have served as the cornerstone of modern medicine. However, the persistent overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human and animal have encouraged the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance (AMR), which occurs when microbes, such as bacteria, become resistant to the drugs used to treat them.

To step up efforts to educate future doctors, pharmacists, veterinarians and health care workers on AMR, a series of workshops at several universities have been organized from 13-16 November. With the same goal, a workshop aiming to promote awareness on antibiotics use in livestock production and aquaculture industries is scheduled on 17 November.

 “We recognize that the fight against antibiotic resistance is everyone’s business. This is why we actively engage all relevant sectors and industries, and of course, the general public. The important work, however, does not stop after the WAAW. Addressing AMR is a priority area in Viet Nam, with support from our partners, we will continue to accelerate our efforts until everyone not only stop overusing and misusing antibiotics, but also are informed enough to help us spread the word,” said Dr Nguyen Viet Tien, Vice-Minister of Health and Chair of the National Steering Committee for Antibiotic Resistance in Viet Nam.

Scaling up actions against AMR: the way forward

“Viet Nam is one of the few countries in the Region with bolstered mechanisms in place to manage AMR. The implementation of its national action plan has legislative backing. The country takes full ownership of and responsibility in addressing the issue as seen by the government’s strong political commitment. And the harmonious working relationships among the multiple sectors involved catalyzes progress on the AMR battle front,” jointly stated by Dr Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Viet Nam, Dr Albert Lieberg, FAO Representative in Viet Nam, and Dr Hirofumi Kugita, OIE Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.

Viet Nam is set to review its National Action Plan on AMR 2013 – 2020 at the end of the year. Discussions on the development of the next action plan are already taking place among leaders of the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) with ongoing support from WHO, FAO, OIE and other development partners working in the country.

Join us in the race to one million pledges against AMR (sign the pledge now).

For further information, please contact:

Ms Le Kim Dung

Pharmaceutical Management Expert

Viet Nam Medical Services Administration

Ministry of Health

Tel: 024-6273-2152

Email: lkdung1970@yahoo.com

Dr. Nguyen Tung

Head of International Cooperation and Communications

Department of Animal Health

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Tel: 84-24-38685104

E-mail: nguyentungncvd@hotmail.com

Ms. Tran Thi Loan

WHO Media Focal Person

World Health Organization Viet Nam Country Office

Tel: 84-4-38500100

Email: wpvnmmedia@who.int

Ms Nguyen Thuy Hang

Advocacy and Communications Coordinator

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Viet Nam

Tel: 024-3850-1829

Email: Hang.NguyenThuy@fao.org

Dr Maho Urabe

Regional Veterinary Officer

OIE Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific (Tokyo, Japan)

E-mail: rr.asiapacific@oie.int   

Further resources and information:

http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-antibiotic-awareness-week/en/

http://www.fao.org/antimicrobial-resistance/resources/publications-archive/en/  

http://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/amr/

ACTIVITIES

Advisory group for livestock sector established.
Proposal developed for improved livestock monitoring system.
Training provided to 20 participants in data analysis, modelling, communication and management of policy analysis and monitoring system.
Five-day study tour organized for one participant to French Livestock Institute.
Policy study produced and submitted to MARD.
Pilot model of livestock monitoring system built and data collected from 240 breeders in five provinces and a pilot analysis made of
the data.
Survey made of 34 656 livestock production units in two districts and survey produced, with recommendations given to the general Statistical Office.

KEY FACTS

Contribution
USD 299 000

Duration
April 2015 – December 2017

Resource Partners
FAO

Partners
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development (MARD)

Beneficiaries
Key government agencies within MARD
responsible for monitoring the 2020
Livestock Development

For more information, please contact :

FAO Office in Viet Nam at FAO-VN@fao.org
or
Mr. Vinod Kumar Ahuja (Lead Technical Officer) at Vinod.Ahuja@fao.org

The project strengthened Viet Nam’s capacity to monitor the environmental, social and economic impacts of its bioenergy sector, through implementation of GBEP Sustainability indicators for bioenergy and related technical support. By identifying two priority bioenergy pathways – biogas and cassava-based ethanol – and analyzing their environmental, social and economic impacts, the project provided recommendations on how to improve their sustainability, efficiency and competitiveness. This will translate into increased contributions to climate change mitigation, energy diversity and income generation. Furthermore, the project established a multi-stakeholder working group with 50 stakeholders from public and private sectors, thus setting the basis for constitution of a national platform for long-term monitoring of bioenergy sustainability.

“The project provided Viet Nam with an understanding of how to establish the means of a long-term, periodic monitoring of its domestic bioenergy sector based on the GBEP indicators. Such periodic monitoring will enhance the knowledge and understanding of this sector and more generally of the way in which the contribution of the agricultural and energy sectors to national sustainable development can be evaluated. The implementation of the GBEP indicators in Viet Nam also provided a series of lessons learnt about how to apply them as a tool for sustainable development and how to enhance their practicality,” said Dr. Maria Michela Morese, FAO Officer from Headquarters

Among its main recommendations, the project highlighted how the establishment of a long-term framework for monitoring of bioenergy sustainability could enable the assessment of contributions from modern bioenergy to climate change mitigation and sustainable development and thus to the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions and the Sustainable Development Goals. This monitoring could also provide information on the effectiveness of bioenergy support policies and inform possible revisions and adjustments to these policies.

The exchange of good practices, experiences and lessons learnt is fundamental to promote sustainable bioenergy development in Viet Nam. The project, through its multi-stakeholder working group and workshops during its implementation, was able to stimulate fruitful discussions between policy-makers and experts from different countries in Viet Nam and the ASEAN region, also paving the way for possible future cooperation opportunities. Maintaining an active regional dialogue on sustainable bioenergy development issues will be key to exploiting these opportunities.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Dao The Anh, Vice-President of Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS) at daotheanh@gmail.com
Mr. Nguyen Hoang Linh, FAO National Programme Officer at Linh.Nguyen@fao.org

Crop and livestock production losses due to different disaster types

 Where agriculture was hardest hit

Read the report

http://www.fao.org/3/I8656EN/i8656en.pdf

(1)    Ministry of Planning and Investment report ”the results of agriculture production and rural development in 2015 and plans for social and economic development 2016”.
(2)    Quoc, P.L. et al., 2015. Characteristics of Extended-Spectrum beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Retail Meats and Shrimp at a Local Market in Vietnam. Foodborne Pathog. Dis. 12, 719–725.

The Government of Viet Nam and Lao PDR have previously organized 13 bilateral meetings on TADs control based on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. 

The 14th bilateral meeting was organized between Viet Nam Department of Animal Health (DAH) and Lao PDR Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DLF) in Ha Noi from 12-13 September 2017. Viet Nam Department of Animal Health (DAH) hosted the meeting with the technical input from FAO’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) Programme. Participants from Viet Nam included DAH leaders, members of the coordinating group and representatives of sub-DAH in provinces bordering Lao PDR. Participants from Lao PDR included DLF leader, members of the coordinating group and representatives of animal health authorities from provinces bordering Viet Nam.

The meeting shared information and discussed issues on animal movement and surveillance of HPAI and other transboundary animal diseases. All participants were briefed in the animal health and disease situation on both side of the border. Interactive mapping was produced by the participants to identify important animal movements and bilateral risk pathways. Import protocols were discussed to facilitate safer trade between the two countries. Discussions led to a greater understanding of bilateral requirements for disease control in the Viet Nam – Lao PDR epizone. The next day, group work resulted in the prioritization of action points for disease control, capacity building and risk communication. Finally a framework and action plan for collaborative activities from 2018 to 2019 was developed and approved by all stakeholders. Veterinarians from Lao will be given the opportunity to enroll in the Vietnam “AVET” (applied veterinary epidemiology training) course and to attend the Epidemiology-Laboratory-Network meeting in 2018. 

The outcome of the meeting improved the understanding of the epidemiology of TADs in the bordering area between Viet Nam and Lao PDR. Continuous collaboration to detect, prevent and respond to HPAI and other TADS in the border region of Viet Nam – Lao PDR, and collaboration to facilitate safer trade is planned for the next years. 

“In order to better address TADs across the Viet Nam – Lao PDR border, it is necessary to continue to facilitate safer trade and a closer collaboration among government counterparts by building networks of animal health personnel at national and provincial level for outbreak response and communication. FAO will continue to support bilateral meetings between Viet Nam – Lao PDR and contribute to a safer epizone in the region.” said Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam. 

FAO wishes to engage the general public in an international effort to mitigate AMR by showcasing genuine stories based on the theme. Contestants are invited to submit stories with photographs from around Asia and the Pacific, which illustrate how good practices contribute to prudent use of antimicrobials, such as antibiotics, in farms.

The contest will be judged by FAO staff and identified stakeholders. In Viet Nam, the best three storytelling/photo essay will be awarded with prizes consisting of merchandizes and certificates. A regional winner will be selected from winners at the country level with a prize of trip to the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific to witness the opening of the Antibiotic Awareness Week Celebrations.

Outstanding storytelling/photo essays will be featured in FAO communication materials and social media channels.

The deadline to submit photos to the contest is 13 October. Please read the contest mechanism for more details. Contestants must accept the rules and conditions of the contest to qualify. 

In order to tackle the spread of HPAI in different levels, FAO has been supporting MARD with the improvement of surveillance, biosecurity and response, laboratory and epidemiology capacity building over the past decade. Along with the regular HPAI control and prevention programs, FAO is assisting in monitoring the early detection of potential H7N9 incursions in domestic poultry in high risk areas. Currently, H7N9 is only found in China. Combined surveillance of both H5N1 and H7N9 will improve the knowledge of the gene pool of influenza A in poultry and enhance the understanding of the epidemiology of HPAI H5 viruses.

To contribute to the avian influenza monitoring at a global level, the Department of Animal Health (DAH), MARD has also been providing information of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) disease events to the Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) since 2004. EMPRES is a global system designed by FAO to support veterinary services by facilitating regional and global disease information as timely and reliable disease information enhances early warning and response and supports the progressive control and elimination to transboundary animal diseases.

According to the epidemiological curve, it shows the progression of HPAI disease in the outbreak over time. The x-axis shows the number of days since the disease emerged in Viet Nam and the y-axis shows the number of HPAI disease events in poultry by month. Due to 5000 days of close collaboration between stakeholders, the disease incidence has significantly been reduced over the years.

FAO is now continuing to work together with DAH to minimize the impact of the disease on public health and food security and ultimately establish a sustainable disease prevention system within the country and the region. It is essential to continue efforts of HPAI control, in particular in South East Asia where the disease is considered persistent and endemic, posing a threat to agriculture and public health.” said Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam. 

Ha Noi – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) launches the Viet Nam National Action Plan for management of antibiotic use (AMU) and control of antibiotic resistance (AMR) in livestock production and aquaculture 2017 – 2020. With financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), this plan was developed in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to guide the actions of the agriculture sector, governed by agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), and complement the Ministry of Health national action plan on combating drug resistance in the period from 2013 – 2020. The implementation of this National Action Plan will help mitigate the public health risk of AMR arising from antibiotic usage in livestock production and aquaculture in Viet Nam.

The National Action Plan establishes five specific objectives, including: 1) Review, revise and enforce policy implementation and governance related to AMR and AMU in livestock production and aquaculture; 2) Increase awareness on AMU and the risk of AMR occurrence among food and agriculture professionals, producers and consumers; 3) Implement good practices in animal treatment, animal feed production, livestock husbandry and aquaculture; 4) Monitor AMR occurrence, antibiotic residues, AMU in livestock production and aquaculture; and 5) Facilitate inter-sectoral collaboration in AMR management.

“In order to effectively implement the National Action Plan, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recognizes the importance of coordinated actions not only among departments in MARD but also with Ministry of Health, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Provincial People’s Committees. We would like to call for the cooperation and technical and financial assistance from international organizations, research institutes and the private sector to join our efforts in reduction of AMU and mitigation of AMR threats. Together we are stronger against AMR” Vice Minister Vu Van Tam, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, stated.

Antibiotics can kill or inhibit the growth of micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi or protozoa. They have been extensively used in recent decades and allowed us to achieve extraordinary improvements in human and veterinary medicine. Being an essential tool to control infectious diseases, they also contributed to the improvement of food security, food safety and animal welfare. However, the efficacy of antibiotics has been hampered by the development of resistance among bacteria originating from

humans, animals, food and the environment. Infections with antibiotic resistant bacteria lead to treatment failures, worse clinical outcomes and deaths.

“Launching a National Action Plan is a very important step, but its success depends on effective implementation, on compliance, and when necessary on enforcement. Actions must be based on the best evidence, consistent with international practices” said Mr. Craig Hart, Deputy Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development.

“AMR threatens the health and livelihoods of the people in Viet Nam, the sustainability of food and agriculture production systems as well as the environment. Farmers, veterinarians and animal drug sellers should share responsibility by using antibiotic agents more responsibly and find alternative ways to maintain animal health and productivity such as improving biosecurity and farming practices” Mr. JongHa Bae, FAO Representative, said.

Extensive usage of antibiotics in livestock production and aquaculture in Vietnam has resulted in high prevalence of AMR bacteria in food animals and animal products. Over-the-counter sales of antibiotics without a prescription, and using animal feed mixed with antibiotics without professional oversight reflect irresponsible use of antibiotics which is a major issue in Viet Nam.

About Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance refers to micro-organisms including bacteria, fungi, and parasites that have acquired resistance to antimicrobials such as antibiotics. Antibiotics are being used in animals not only for treatment, but also for disease prevention and growth promotion. Micro-organisms can develop antibiotic resistance and move between food-producing animals and humans by direct exposure or through the food chain and the environment. Without effective antibiotics, prevention and treatment of infections and illnesses of humans and animals become much harder to treat. Common surgeries become much more dangerous and untreated infections lead to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and increased mortality. Antibiotic resistance can be transmitted through food which makes it a food safety problem as well.

For more information:

Department of Animal Health
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Dr. Nguyen Tung
Head of International Cooperation and Communications
Tel: 024.38693605
E-mail: nguyentungncvd@hotmail.com

Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Ms. Nguyen Thuy Hang
National Advocacy and Communications Coordinator
Tel: 024.38501829
Email: Hang.nguyenthuy@fao.org

Nam Dinh Province - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Government of Viet Nam, will allocate 295 000 US Dollar to enhance effective response to natural disasters and improve resilience of communities at risk by launching a new technical cooperation programme.

In 2016, the severe tropical storm Mirinae struck Viet Nam, especially along the coastal areas of the provinces Nam Dinh, Than Binh and Ninh Binh, bringing loss of housing, crops and livestock to households. The Government of Viet Nam immediately requested assistance to FAO, for the emergency provision of seeds and livestock in Nam Dinh Province.

Regarding this devastating natural disaster, the Inception Workshop of “Emergency support to the community affected by Storm Mirinae'' took place in Nam Dinh City on 17 July 2017 to officially launch the project. The kick-off workshop introduced the project and expected outputs and discussed the implementation plan and roles that different stakeholders will put into action. Representatives from FAO, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), National Disaster Committee, Provincial Department of Agricultural and Rural Development (DARD) joined the workshop. Participants from provincial and district level took part, including officers of Provincial Department of Rural Development, Provincial  Agricultural and Fishery Extension Center (PAFEC), Provincial Disaster Steering Board, Provincial Women Union and District Disaster Steering Board and People’s Committee.

The project will help increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters through distributing poultries, pigs and rice seeds and providing trainings to farmers. With the financial and technical support from FAO, MARD, specifically DARD, will roll out the restoration of agricultural production in more than 2 628 poor farming households in five districts of Nam Dinh Province. 1 000 households will receive 25 000 chickens, 128 households will receive 128 pigs with six months of animal feed and 1500 households will get 30 000 kg of rice seeds. Along with the distribution of agricultural products, the National Agricultural Extension Center (NAEC) will provide trainings to local extension workers and farmers on biosecurity, poultry production, husbandry and agricultural techniques with a special focus on disaster prevention and preparedness. The training will especially help boost up the capacity of farmers to protect their assets from potential natural disasters in the future.

“We have noticed an increasing number of climate change induced natural disasters within the country in the last few years and it has become a major concern that this has become the ‘new normal’. In response to the storm Mirinae, we believe that providing livestock, seedlings and trainings will help safeguard food and nutritional security of the affected areas and strengthen resilience of  rural communities that are at risk of natural disasters.” said Jong Ha Bae, the FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

With projections of climate change induced disasters such as extreme drought and flooding becoming the “new normal”, FAO teamed up with Viet Nam Women’s Union (WU) to share early warning, early action messages with the financial support from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).  The main goal is to build farmers’ resilience towards drought or flooding, focusing on the safeguard of agriculture and livestock production. By putting women in the center of prevention and response activities, FAO aims to enhance women’s capacity to manage risks thereby reducing their vulnerability to disasters and climate change as, having limited access to physical, financial, human, social and natural capital, they are often the worst hit

FAO, in collaboration with WU rolled out two 3-day training of trainers in the Central Highlands and Mekong Region to strengthen the capacity of 61 Women’s Union staff members from provincial to commune level in disaster preparedness, response and early warning. The training provided insights on how to develop communication messages, choose which communications methods to use and develop communication plans. The training also provided knowledge on crop-protection messages and behaviors against drought, flooding or other natural disasters. At the end of the training, participants submitted a communication plan for their commune to further roll out a campaign. 

“With Viet Nam’s long and unique geological shape, climates drastically vary among the northern, central and southern parts of Viet Nam, thus disasters affecting farmers are also very different. Therefore, by enabling participants to develop their own communication plan for their commune or district, we were able to localize the communication messages and plan accordingly to the different climates and needs. Additionally, by giving participants more ownership to create the communication plan, we hope that the behavior change messages will be continuously shared with the community, even after the project.” said Ki Jung Min, the Outreach Coordinator of FAO Viet Nam.

After the training of trainers, 18 awareness raising and sensitization sessions were organized in 18 communes in the Central Highlands and Mekong Region, reaching out to 156 022 people in communities vulnerable from disasters. Trained Women’s Unions staff members implemented different awareness raising sessions including theatrical plays, folklores and poems to effectively convey the messages.

“Building the capacity of Women Unions for disaster risk reduction and for the dissemination of behavioral change messages has had a compounding effect as the trained staff is now training other members of the Unions in other provinces regularly affected by disasters to use the approach developed with FAO to share life-saving messages with vulnerable communities.” said Roberta Tranquili, the Emergency Operations Coordinator of FAO Viet Nam.

To improve the situation, the Belgium Embassy in Viet Nam, Hanoi University for Public Health (HUPH), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) teamed up together at Hanoi University of Public Health campus to co-host the workshop on ‘Scaling up the trust networks for food safety with small farmers’ on 4 July 2017.

The workshop cultivates food safety knowledge and explore existing and potential supports for safe food supply networks to empower smallholders in the face of losing trust from consumers.
80 participants from state agencies, research academia, universities, food safety inter-agencies, international organizations, donors, agriculture producers, retailers, consumers and the media sat together to seek to foster trust among relevant stakeholders.

In her opening remark, Bui Thi Thu Ha, rector of HUPH commented that within the trend of globalization, smallholders are facing quite many difficulties and challenges in the competition of production to ensure the quality of products to meet the increasingly stringent standards.

Nguyen Trung Kien from the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development elaborated that consumers, especially the emerging middle class tend to shift their shopping habits from traditional wet market to supermarkets and utility shops as they may think that food of the supermarket is safer and of better quality than the food produced by smallholders and sold in the traditional market. In fact, the number of supermarkets in Viet Nam has been mushrooming over the past 10 years from 47 in 2007 to 1035 in 2017.

Moreover, smallholders also have difficulties in accessing inputs as feeding companies prefer to provide inputs for large-scale farms. The limited access to information technology also hinders them from reaching market information.
Vo Thanh Son, senior rural development expert of the World Bank said while small-scale farmers are increasingly required to obtain quality assurance to sell their products to more demanding customers, agriculture standards are often designed for big production which is of high cost and complex for application, not targeting at smallholders.

At the workshop, representatives at the grassroots level showcased some good models which can support enhance the trust of consumers in smallholders ’products, for example, the participatory guarantee system for safe vegetables production (PGS). PGS is a quality control system developed by International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). It involves all stakeholders, particularly producers and consumers. While VietGAP is very comprehensive but inaccessible to smallholders because of high cost and complexity, PGS is affordable and applicable for smallholders and reliable for consumers. TraceVerified is another model which is feasible and affordable and can help smallholders to increase trust of consumers in which smallholders pay around 20 US dollar per month to have their product traceability.

Hung Nguyen, regional representative of ILRI East and Southeast Asia stressed that further studies should be carried out to answer the question if Viet Nam should follow suit developed countries on the path of developing supermarkets and gradually abolishing the traditional market model, or it should strengthen the small holders and traditional markets while moving forward with supermarketization and large scale production.

In her closing remark, Ambassador of Belgium Embassy, Jehanne Roccas said ‘this workshop is a building block to move from the current situation, with wonder food, and urgent food safety problems, food scares and suspicion, towards a situation preserving the unique diversity of production and consumption, but with trusted safe food.’

The workshop was made possible through the close partnership efforts and initiatives of the Viet Nam Food Safety Working Group, which includes representatives from the Belgium Embassy in Viet Nam, the Canadian Embassy in Viet Nam, the Australian Government, FAO, HUPH, ILRI, the World Bank, among other partners. This workshop topic was based on the recommendation from the report "Viet Nam food safety risks management : challenges and opportunities" by the World Bank and its partners launched earlier this year.

Recognizing its on-going and potential effects, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), is implementing the “Integrating the agricultural sector into National Adaptation Plans (NAP-Ag)”programme to incorporate climate change concerns related to agriculture-based livelihoods within existing national planning and budgeting processes. With the financial support from the Government of Germany, the 4-year-programme aims to strengthen technical and institutional capacity, develop integrated roadmaps, improve evidence-based results, and advocate and share knowledge on NAP.

As one of the priorities in the action plan, FAO and UNDP are supporting a study project to create an in-depth analysis and recommendations for climate adaptation options mainly for crop, livestock and aquaculture production, which are the three most vulnerable subsectors of agriculture. In preparation of the field work, project stakeholders from International Cooperation Department (ICD), UNDP, FAO, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and MARD met early this year in March 2017, to share inputs before the study kick started. Based on the inputs, technical experts from FAO and UNDP are currently conducting a climate change vulnerability assessment and cost-benefit analysis of adaptation policy options, identifying the possible options for these sub-sectors in the Northern, Central and Southern regions of Viet Nam.

“Climate change adaptation with a focus on agriculture sector is an important component of Viet Nam’s Initial Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the Paris Agreement. It is reiterated in the National Plan to implement the Paris Agreement issued on 28th October 2016. Through the close collaboration with MARD, we are glad to technically support Viet Nam to reach its international contribution to mitigate and adapt to climate change effects.” said Jong Ha Bae, the Country Representative of FAO Viet Nam.

Based on the study results, an overall synthesis report and policy brief are expected to be released by middle of 2018. 

Celebrating the decade-long collaboration, The UN-FAO Viet Nam Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (FAOVN ECTAD), USAID and the Department of Animal Health – DAH and MARD EPT2 contributing agencies including the Department of Livestock Production - DLP, National Agriculture Extension Center - NAEC and CITES Management Authority (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) gathered together in Da Nang to critically review the zoonotic diseases risk, progress and challenges of implemented activities and develop the annual work plan for year 2018-2019.

Creative and participatory methods were introduced to ensure inputs from all stakeholders were included. During the ‘Gallery Walk’ session, participants went around the room to review progress and provided their inputs under 4 project outputs; 1) One Health and risk communication 2) Risk reduction 3) Surveillance 4) Cross-border along with risk assessment and mitigation tools developed and tested under the project. Afterward, the participants identified gaps and possible solutions to better mitigate risks which form the basis for the work plan development.

“By looking back the past collaboration, we were able to accurately identify the gaps or challenges and effectively brainstorm for a more sustainable resolution. With the valuable inputs from all participants, we look forward to further mitigating zoonotic diseases risk more effectively in 2018-2019 period and begin exploring way forward for the collaboration between FAO and MARD departments beyond 2019.” said Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

Based on the outputs from the meeting, DAH will develop a consolidated work plan in consultation with the respective MARD departments with technical support from FAOVN ECTAD to keep livelihoods in Viet Nam safe from any zoonotic threats.

During the meeting, the participants were informed and updated on the latest poultry, swine and aquatic animal diseases situation and identified gaps and solutions to improve animal disease outbreak prevention and responses. Passive surveillance (famers reporting unusual disease events to sub-DAH) was identified as insufficient, and farmer and local community awareness training was proposed. In addition, difficulties, strengths, weaknesses and possible solutions were identified in the current avian and swine influenza surveillance plan. To ensure the quality of the testing and test results at the laboratories, additional training and quality system testing will be conducted in the coming year. The meeting discussed proposal to prioritize and send or process urgent samples directly for sequencing and immediately share results to avoid long delays of results and unsatisfactory data sharing. Future trainings in sequencing and bioinformatics, as well as provision of primers and PCR reagents, will help DAH further benefit from sequence data.

The outcome of DAH participation in FAO regional laboratory networking activities were shared including molecular epidemiology, gene sequencing and laboratory quality control. Virus gene sequencing and molecular epidemiology are important methods to monitor the evolution of HPAI viruses throughout South East Asia. If transmission of viruses and genetic drifts can be detected early, prevention and control measures can be applied for effective prevention control. Harmonizing HPAI surveillance methodology and results among countries through external quality assurance program was identified as particularly important to allow comparison of results. The representative from Cambodia, briefed the audience on the Avian Influenza disease situation and laboratory capacity in Cambodia.

The meeting identified action points to improve disease outbreak response, active and passive surveillance, laboratory quality assurance, understanding of AI viruses and collaborative investigation with Cambodia. The next Epi-Labnet meeting preparation has already commenced and is expected to be held early 2018.

The project aimed to enhance the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measure (SPS) capacities of the vegetable sector nationally and at project sites by capturing domestic and international market fresh vegetable opportunities during 2013-2016.  It took advantage of each locality to promote local vegetable cultivation and implementation of safe production to significantly improve farmers’ incomes in key vegetable growing areas. In particular, the project allowed ethnic minority farmers from Son La to improve their perception and knowledge of safe vegetable production in compliance with VietGAP, the vegetable value supply chain as well as the importance of market linkages in production and distribution.

The vegetable sector is an important source of employment not only at farm level, but also at collection, distribution, processing and retail levels. One of the critical constraints to achieving this target is the vegetable sector’s lack of capacity to assure safety and quality of its produce across the value chain. Major problems facing the sector include excessive use of pesticides and agricultural chemicals and the lack of awareness and application of good agricultural practices (GAP) at farm level. The sector has also been constrained by poor post-harvest handling practices resulting in a deterioration of product quality.

Drawing from project lessons and experiences, in 2016, a FAO-funded study “Promoting Vegetable Sub-sector Development in Son La: Opportunities and Challenges” allowed the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD) to provide an evidence base as well as policy recommendations to promote the vegetable sub-sector’s development. The objective was to create higher value crops compared to other traditional ones in Son La and enable small farmers’ participation in the vegetable supply chain for large markets, such as Ha Noi.

For more information, please contact Nguyen Hoang Linh at Linh.Nguyen@fao.org

A novel technology called Pen-side PCR has become available to enable this task. It is a surveillance method to detect viruses close to sampling sites like markets or district veterinary stations with a hand-held, battery-operated device. With this system, animal health experts will be able to detect and identify the virus within 2 hours after sampling, whereas the traditional real-time PCR would take in average of 2.5 days to get the result due to transportation reasons.

With the financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), FAO Viet Nam’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), in collaboration with the Department of Animal Health of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (DAH-MARD), rolled out trainings on the use of Pen-side PCR in 5 provinces (Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Lao Cai and Ha Noi Provinces) bordering with China to introduce this new method and effectively safeguard Viet Nam from the potential intrusion of influenza A (H7N9) H7N9 virus.

The Laboratory Expert of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam provided hands-on experience to collect samples and perform the test in live bird markets to trainees from the Frontier Veterinary Quarantine Station (FVAS) and Sub-Department of Animal Health (SDAH) in respected provinces, who are the key responders in the whole surveillance process in Northern Viet Nam. The training was arranged in three main steps; 1) The Laboratory Expert first demonstrated the Pen-side PCR procedure from sampling, testing, recording and reporting test results 2) Trainees repeated the whole process under the lab expert’s supervision. 3) Finally, trainees completed the pen-side PCR testing by themselves.

“Participants from the training showed keen interest throughout the training. By the end of the training, they were all confident in testing with the Pen-side PCR system. Pen-side PCR method is affordable, portable and easy to use, meaning it can carry out tests in many different environments while still maintaining an equivalent level of sensitivity with a qPCR in a laboratory. These features make Pen-side PCR very practical and professional to use.” said Ken Inui, the Laboratory Expert of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

“Due to its practicality, there is a big potential for Pen-side PCR to play an important role in future avian influenza surveillance activities. Furthermore, it could also be applied in other animal diseases such as Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS). Through close collaboration with DAH, we will continue to pilot Pen-side PCR and monitor its effectivity and sustainability. We look forward how this new, yet simple, technology can bring a big change in future surveillance activities in Viet Nam.” said Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam. 

“Last year, we lost 60% of our crop production.” said Mr. Dinh Van Tuong. “As a family of 11 members, we used to produce 100 bags of maize annually that would feed the whole family. But after losing a huge portion of our crop, we couldn’t pay back the debt at the local store with our harvest and we really didn’t know what to do. We were really out of options. That is when we heard of the cash distribution for households affected by drought.”

With the financial assistance from the EU Humanitarian aid and civil protection (ECHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Viet Nam and ActionAid Viet Nam (AAV) distributed unconditional cash and vouchers for agricultural inputs to the poor households that were affected from the deadly drought. 

“We received 2.2million Vietnamese Dong (96 US Dollar) for the emergency response. My family spent 2 million VND to buy rice for the whole family and medicine for our sick mother-in-law. With the 200 000 VND that is left, we are planning to buy salt or spices and save it for emergencies.” said Mr. Dinh Van Tuong with a bit of relief on his face. 

From this ECHO-funded emergency response project, 3 077 households in Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Dak Nong Provinces received 2 unconditional cash transfers (2 disbursements of VND 1 100 000 each – USD 49) during the lean season (In November and March). On top of that, 2 392 households were supported with agricultural input vouchers worth 2 500 000 VND (USD 112). The vouchers were divided into 1 yellow coupon worth 1 000 000 VND and 2 blue coupons worth 750 000 VND each.

 “Seeing a field of dead crops from drought is every farmer’s nightmare. However this was my reality.” said a voucher beneficiary Ms. Dinh Thi Cam, from Yang Bac Commune, Gia Lai Province. “My family’s chilli farming completely went bad from the drought and lack of agricultural water in the village. However, the vouchers for agricultural inputs that my family received helped us enormously in restoring our farming from the disaster. Now we are fully equipped with farming seeds and materials for the next agricultural season without the need of getting additional loans from the local store.” added Ms. Dinh Thi Cam.

“Distributing cash and agricultural vouchers to farmers for immediate drought response supports families to restart their livelihoods and avoid negative coping mechanisms such as incurring debt, selling assets, and reducing the amount and portions of meals per days. From the recent monitoring trip, we have found out that the food security and nutrition of the households that we are assisting has improved and the cash/voucher modality is adapted to their needs. We now need to ensure that these communities increase their resilience to climate related disasters in the long term” Said Roberta Tranquilli, the Emergency Operations Coordinator of FAO Viet Nam.

The overall goal of the programme is to effectively control rabies in domestic dogs and human and progress towards rabies elimination in 2021 by: 1) registering dogs in 95% of the communes nationwide, 2) vaccinating more than 85% of domestic dog population, 3) maintaining rabies free in dog population in more than 70% of all the provinces nationwide for two consecutive years, 4) reducing 60% of number of high risk provinces with human rabies, 5) reducing human rabies death by 60% in 2021 in comparison with the average number of deaths recorded in the period of 2011 -2015.

This programme was developed with the technical assistance from the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO) in partnership with World Health Organization, Department of Animal Health (DAH) and General Department for Preventive Medicine. Many strategic interventions of the programme were designed based on the experience and lessons learnt from a number of projects supported by FAO during the past three years. These include dog management and vaccination tools, improvement of laboratory diagnosis capacity, risk communication and coordination with local government system. 

Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam, delivered a presentation at the launching event emphasizing the importance of multi-sectoral coordination, especially the engagement of local authorities for effective dog population management in the country context, urgency of achieving herd immunity with increased dog vaccination coverage as well as improving human rabies vaccine services.

A total of 120 representatives from Department of Animal Health, General Department for Preventive Medicine, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, Regional animal health offices, Sub-departments of animal health were present at the launching. 

“The National Programme will also serve as a guide for provinces to develop their own provincial plan for rabies control and progressing toward eradication 2017- 2021. Till today, we are glad to have technically supported the Government of Viet Nam and we look forward to their progress of achieving zero rabies and contributing to the ASEAN Rabies Elimination Strategy.” said Pawin Padungtod.

With partial funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID),  Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO) Viet Nam, in collaboration with Department of Animal Health (DAH), General Department of Preventive Medicine (GDPM) and Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee, co-organized a simulation exercise on H7N9 emergency response in Mong Cai city, Quang Ninh Province. 

The one-day exercise combined a meeting among steering committee members for avian influenza prevention and control and simulation exercises where participants were given with field scenarios such as detection of H7N9-infected poultry sold in a local market, a suspected H7N9 human case within a household setting as well as in a hospital. These exercises aimed to validate the existing procedures which guide participants on the detection, prevention, risk mitigation, response related to influenza A (H7N9).

A total of 120 participants of the joint provincial response team from animal and public health sectors, public securities, border guard forces and market management agencies participated in the exercise who are key responders to influenza A (H7N9) detection in Mong Cai city, Quang Ninh province. This province is considered as one of the higher risk areas in Viet Nam as it shares border with Guangxi Province in China where H7N9 human infection has increased since October 2016. The cross-border trading and tourism between Viet Nam and China in the area is one of the busiest in the country. 

The event also served as a review of the ‘Viet Nam Emergency response to dangerous avian influenza viruses with potential infection on human contingency plan’ which was issued in early 2014 by the National Steering Committee for Avian Influenza. 

“The simulation exercise aims not only to reinforce correct implementation of outbreak response procedures, but also to strengthen effective inter-sectoral coordination and timely communicate with the public. The exercise today will certainly keep Viet Nam safer against H7N9, to safeguard livelihoods of farmers and poultry traders and ultimately protect the health of Vietnamese people,” Mr Jong-ha Bae, the Representative of FAO Viet Nam stated in the event.

This exercise is one of the emergency preparedness and response efforts in prevention and control of H7N9 and other zoonotic influenza virus with potential pandemic threats implemented by the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), UN-FAO Viet Nam and the Department of Animal Health, MARD. 

“The commune animal health worker told me there was going to be a free 4-day biosecurity training course in Bac Giang. That’s how I first got to know about this project. I was glad to know this was happening because I never took any biosecurity and management courses since I started farming.” He continued “Previously, I tried to study by myself by looking up books but they were too complicated and difficult to follow. However, with the training from poultry production training experts, it was really easy to understand and follow the biosecurity measures.”

The Department of Livestock Production of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (DLP-MARD) in collaboration with FAO Viet Nam’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) has trained 20 training experts in Northern Viet Nam to educate and inspire small and medium scale farmers like Bang Van Dao to roll out clean and safe procedures in hatcheries and parent flock farms. This training focuses on how to keep a healthy chicken flock for disease prevention and better productivity and how to manage hatcheries and fertile eggs to improve day-old-bird quality.

“After implementing good management practices and biosecurity measures for three months, I’m actually starting to see results.” said Bang Van Dao proudly. “According to my hatchery records, we had about 3.2% of increase in hatchability rate. Before, not all the collected eggs managed to hatch. And even if they did, not all chicks ended up surviving during the first few days. However, after applying easy biosecurity methods like keeping the hatchery area clean, separating incubation and hatching area and fumigating eggs, hatched chicks are so much healthier now. I’m pretty satisfied with the results during the first three months, and I’m looking forward to see how much it will improve in the future.”

After Bang Van Dao showed the hatching area and the fumigation procedures, he took his neighbor farmers to the garden area where his parent flock chickens were freely running around in the garden.

“In the garden area, we applied a new water drainage to make it easier to clean the farm. As you can see, the farm is clean and the flock looks a lot healthier too. The cleaner environment makes it more pleasant for my wife and me to work since it smells less.” He added “The new feeders and drinking water system also keeps the food and water more hygienic from feces and dirt, enabling the flock to have uncontaminated food and drink.”

Following successful stories like Bang Van Dao’s, FAO ECTAD Viet Nam is currently expanding the project to seven other models in Northern Viet Nam, and training more poultry production training experts in Southern Viet Nam. From these activities, FAO ECTAD Viet Nam aims to kill two birds with one stone; to effectively prevent avian influenza at the source and improve livelihoods at the same time. 

“Receiving the training was such a turning point for my business and I hope to motivate my neighbors to apply the biosecurity methods and experience good results like I did. In the future, I would like to expand my business and be able to provide a better life to my family.” Bang Van Dao said.

Each two-day training course aimed to address key gaps those were previously identified by government staff at sub-national and national levels including: sample collection skills of field staff, questionnaire completion, sample quality, laboratory reporting, surveillance analysis, response activities following detections, and financial management.

In order to boost participation from trainees, participatory training methods such as group quizzes, case-based learning, role-play, and field exercises were used.  Using scenarios based on real situations in Viet Nam, participants were able to identify unusual surveillance findings and develop follow-up action plans.

Staff from each Regional Animal Health Office laboratory were also involved as trainers, demonstrating use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and leading discussions about appropriate selection for outbreaks versus live animal sampling and environmental surveillance based on the level of risk of transmission. RAHO staff then led a sample collection session involving demonstration of the sample collection techniques for chickens, ducks, pigs, and the environment and practice by participants.

Financial staff were involved in two days of separate discussions and review of guidance documents aimed at streamlining financial requirements of the program. A combined session of technical and financial staff enabled local and national issues in financial management to be identified and recommendations for improvement made.

“Feedback on the training courses was very positive, with technical staff enjoying the case-based approach and opportunity to work with laboratory staff to practice sample collection. After the course, participants felt their knowledge of surveillance had improved and that they were better able to analyse surveillance data. In order to ensure the technical contents are well accepted and adapted among the participants, refresher courses using a similar participant-driven approach are planned in 2017” said Laura Macfarlane-Berry, the International Epidemiology Expert of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

The threat of antibiotic resistance

The discovery of antibiotics almost ninety years ago changed the course of modern medicine, giving doctors the ability to treat previously fatal infections. Millions of lives have been saved as a result. However, antibiotics have increasingly lost their effectiveness due to antimicrobial resistance. The phenomenon of antibiotic resistance threatens the health and lives of the people in Viet Nam, the environment, as well as the sustainability of food and agriculture production systems.

In recent years, Viet Nam has witnessed a growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, brought about by the excessive and irrational use of antibiotics at all levels of the health care system and the public as a whole. It is difficult to quantify the magnitude of the problem, due to a lack of adequate surveillance systems, but some estimate that by 2050 antimicrobial resistance could be responsible for killing 10 million people a year globally, the equivalent of 1 person every 3 seconds - more than cancer kills today.

Without effective antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of infections illnesses of humans and animals become much harder to treat. Common surgeries become much more dangerous and untreated infections lead to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and increased mortality.

“Antibiotic resistance can affect anyone, of any age, in any country. It is conceivable that in a few decades, treatments such as chemotherapy for cancer and simple surgery will become impossible because they rely on antibiotics to protect patients from infection. We are facing a future where a cough or cut could kill once again,” explained Dr Lokky Wai, WHO Representative in Viet Nam.
Resistance to antibiotics is also a food safety problem. Antibiotics are used in animals not only for treatment, but also for disease prevention and growth promotion and the development of antimicrobial resistance in animals can be passed to humans though the food chain.
“AMR is a problem not just in our hospitals, but on our farms and in our food, too. Farmers and veterinarian must share responsibility, both by using antimicrobials more responsibly and by cutting down on the need to use them, by effectively applying biosecurity and good farming practices” stated by Mr. JongHa Bae, The Representative Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam recognizes the seriousness of the issue and is taking action

In 2013, Viet Nam has passed the National Action Plan on AMR, the first country in WHO’s Western Pacific Region to do so. Since then comprehensive, multidimensional systems and capacity building were undertaken or introduced in Viet Nam to combat AMR. These include among others: the National Surveillance System for AMR; surveillance for antibiotic use and consumption; National Antibiotic Stewardship Programme; Quality and post marketing surveillance and strengthening of regulations for antibiotic registration, distribution, sale and marketing.

In 2015, the government forged wider action across the ministries of health, agriculture, environment, trade and industry, and those Ministries signed the Aide Memoire for Inter-sectoral Action against AMR. To ensure oversight of the actions under the Aide Memoire, the government has set-up the National Steering Committee against AMR represented at high level from the four sectors.

UN Takes Action

In September 2016, the UN General Assembly convened a high-level meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York on “Antimicrobial Resistance“, with the participation of Member States, non-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and academic institutions. At that meeting UN Member States, including Viet Nam, committed to taking a broad, coordinated approach to address the root causes of AMR across multiple sectors, especially human health, animal health and agriculture. This is only the fourth time a health issue has been taken up by the UN General Assembly. The others were HIV, non-communicable diseases, and Ebola.
In 2015, the World Health Assembly adopted a global action plan to tackle the growing problem of resistance to antibiotics. One of the key objectives of the plan is to improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance through effective communication, education and training. In line with this global action plan, Viet Nam is organizing the National Antibiotics Awareness Week since 2015.

Serious threat to health - and joint efforts to stop it

The observance of the National Antibiotics Awareness Week this year, highlights the need for a concerted action by everyone, and thus the theme, Together and Stronger Against AMR.
The campaign raises awareness on the effects of AMR against the health of the people, the sustainability of its food production and agriculture, the impact to the environment and most importantly the impact of AMR on the country’s sustainable development.
As part of the National Antibiotic Awareness Week, Viet Nam aims to collect a total of one million pledges to use antibiotics responsible. The goal of one million pledges builds on a total of over 400,000 pledges collected during the first National Antibiotic Awareness Week in 2015. A national campaign event will also be held at Ly Thai To square in the heart of the capital city of Hanoi on the 30th of November followed by a series of lectures for students and professionals later on in December.

The National Antibiotics Awareness Week is one of many activities in an ever stronger response of Viet Nam to the threat of AMR.

“We applaud the four key Ministries for coming together and jointly support the National Antibiotics Awareness Week. We fully believe that this multi-sectoral approach across both human health and animal health is critical for taking concerted effort to effectively tackle AMR. Given the multi-sectoral nature of AMR, everyone has a key role to play in tackling antibiotic resistance. Action is needed on the part of human medicine (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, patients), animal medicine (veterinarians, farmers, the animal health medicine and food industry), the pharmaceutical industry and the general public,” co-stated by both Mr. JongHa Bae and Dr. Lokky Wai.

For further information, please contact:
Ms Tran Thi Loan
WHO Communications Assistant
Email: wpvnmmedia@who.int

Ms Nguyen Thuy Hang
FAO Advocacy and Communications Coordinator
Email: Hang.NguyenThuy@fao.org

Representatives from MARD and MOH shared their update on AMU/AMR management and legislation. Lucie Collineau, FAO international consultant, presented the outline of a draft NAP for AMU and AMR reduction in livestock production in Viet Nam. The participants then worked in groups to review the draft NAP and proposed additional activities. The proposed activities were prioritized using an on-line platform (Menti.com). Katharina Stärk, FAO international consultant, led the final plenary discussion on key components and future implementation of the NAP. 

During the workshop, the five key components of the NAP were agreed: 1) Revise policy and governance related to AMR and AMU in food and agriculture, 2) Increase awareness on AMR among food and agriculture professionals, farmers and the general public, 3) Implement good clinical and husbandry practices, 4) Develop capacity for surveillance of AMR and AMU in food and agriculture and 5) Facilitate inter-sectoral collaboration for the management of AMR.

Priority activities under the NAP were identified and include:

• Conduct a risk assessment on AMR/ AMU along the food chain which targets semi-industrial farms, identified as highest antimicrobials (AM) users. It should be noted that a list of AM agents will be banned for growth promotion from 1 January 2018. However, farmers may continue to mix AM in livestock feed on their own.

• Develop AM treatment guidelines in veterinary practice for selected groups of animal diseases. Presently, the Animal Health law require farmers to get a prescription from veterinarians to administrate AM. However, there is no list describing which AM agents or classes should be administered on prescription only. The enforcement of this law appeared to be difficult at this stage. 

• Develop continuing education programme on AMU and AMR for veterinarians and farmers. 

• Develop pathogen identification and susceptibility testing capacity in animal health laboratories. The laboratory capacity among the 7 Regional Animal Health Offices (RAHOs) is good but testing methodology needs to be standardized. 

• Develop a surveillance programme for AMR and AMU involving laboratories certified by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). AMR surveillance could be implemented first in pigs, chicken and aquaculture, which are the biggest livestock production sectors in Viet Nam. However, such programme would demand a huge financial investment based on previous experience with AM residue testing for aquaculture products exported to the European market. 

• Develop an AMR database to be shared among animal health and public health authorities. An AMR reference laboratory in animal health should be identified. The foreseen barriers for these activities include financial limitations, lack of standardized methodology and monitoring. 

• Plan and implement a Knowledge-Attitude- Practices (KAP) survey to better understand stakeholders’ knowledge, attitude and practices on AMU and AMR, and develop strategic communication interventions. Four groups were identified as a priority for awareness and risk communication activities, including producers/ farmers, leaders of feedings and veterinary medicine companies, veterinarians and consumers. 

• Identify AMR focal persons at the MARD Department of Animal Health (DAH), Drug Administration of Viet Nam, and Medical Services Administration to be in charge of coordination, information sharing and data integration.  

With the financial support from the EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Viet Nam, in collaboration with Action Aid Viet Nam (AAV), is rolling out the project ‘Restoring food security and provide livelihood support to poor rural communities affected by the drought in the Central Highlands Region of Vietnam’, which aims to assist 25 725 people in the central highlands with unconditional cash transfers, agricultural vouchers and post-harvest equipment. The project will also target an estimated 93 000 people in the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta with extensive awareness raising activities through coordination and trainings to safeguard livelihoods of communities from potential climate change induced disasters.

As activities have been underway since September, delegates from ECHO, FAO Viet Nam and AAV visited the cash and voucher distribution site in Dang Kang Commune in Dak Lak Province on 2 November. From 2 to 3 November in this commune, 259 households received a voucher worth 2 500 000 Vietnamese Dong (US$112) and 65 households received the first of 2 unconditional cash transfers of 1 050 000 Vietnamese Dong (US$47) to enable them to secure the coming season’s production, restore their food security and build their resilience.

“The cash and voucher distribution was very successful in Dang Kang and we were surprised to see some beneficiaries going directly to the suppliers to use their vouchers on the same day that they received it. By distributing unconditional cash and agricultural inputs vouchers to the most vulnerable, we hope to strengthen food security whilst stimulating the local market and minimize current negative coping strategies such as household debt and migration. We will continue to distribute cash and vouchers to households in Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Giai Lai Provinces throughout November and aim to support a total 5 145 households in Viet Nam.” said Roberta Tranquilli, the International Operations Coordinator of FAO Viet Nam.

With predictions of climate change impacts becoming the “new normal”, FAO Viet Nam is planning to collaborate with local authorities and partners in the Central Highlands and in the Mekong Delta to ensure that early warning messages reach rural communities in time and that communities are informed of the best actions they can take to protect their livelihoods and assets in the event of a sudden or slow onset disaster. The project will also distribute post-harvest equipment to minimize post-harvest losses due to climate change induced disasters.

FAO Representative in Viet Nam Mr. JongHa Bae; MARD Vice Minister Mr. Le Quoc Doanh; Ninh Thuan People’s Committee’s Vice Chairman, Mr.Tran Quoc Nam; staff from FAO and MARD; representatives from NinhThuan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and some neighbouring coastal provinces; institutes; students and local farmers participated in this event.

On a global scale, climate change poses a significant challenge to food security and direct impacts on livelihoods of the poorest and the people who are the most vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change. As estimated, the global population is expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050. To meet such a heavy demand, agriculture and food systems will need to become not only more resilient, productive and sustainable but also more innovative and creative in technology and good practices along the whole value chains.

In response, FAO believes there are seven different areas related to food and agriculture where change needs to happen if nations want to achieve Zero Hunger in the context of adapting to extreme events caused by climate change. They are agriculture, food loss and waste, food systems, fisheries, forestry, livestock and natural resources.

This year’s theme is especially meaningful for Viet Nam as this is the first year its agriculture has experienced negative growth for the past 30 years due to natural disasters. Especially, rice production has been dramatically reduced.

It is particularly pertinent that this year’s WFD ceremony is held in Ninh Thuan where recent drought has critically affected crops, livestock and people who had to suffer water shortage for domestic use. The province has been being supported by the international community and implementing a FAO-funded project on nutrition and food security for the children and vulnerable groups.

At the ceremony, MARD Vice Minister Le Quoc Doanh stated “Vietnam is one of the countries hardest hit by climate change and natural disasters. Climate change and sea level rise are forecast to reduce 7.2 million tonnes of rice and affect 32.2% of agricultural land by the end of this century... In order to scale up the climate smart agriculture models, farming households – the smallest production unit, should be empowered to adapt to the local conditions; rural women and gender equality in agriculture should be paid more attention. This will make a contribution to sustainable reduction of poverty, food security, political stability and socio-economic development”.

“FAO is ready to assist Viet Nam in adapting to climate change and, at the same time, mitigate its effects. We are working to help farmers, pastoralists, fishers and forest dwellers by developing their capacities to adapt to climate change and advising on how to integrate adaptation practices in national policies,” said Mr. JongHa Bae.

To mark the event, an FAO publication “Farmer Field School Guidance” was also launched to showcase FAO’s work to combat climate change impacts and create more sustainable agriculture and food systems.

After the ceremony, the FAO and MARD delegations visited the Demonstration on Integrated Crop Management Cultivation for Fresh Cooking Hybrid Maize Crop on Paddy Land in Cong Hai commune, Thuan Bac District in Ninh Thuan. This is a site of a FAO technical assistance project funded by the joint Government - UN programme on integrated nutrition and food security.

World Rabies Day, organized across 100 different countries around the 28th September each year, is a day when the public and authorities demonstrate commitment to raise awareness about rabies prevention and to progress in defeating this fatal disease.This year, the world celebrates the 10th World Rabies Day anniversary, a milestone in rabies prevention, by promoting the use of safe and efficacious animal and human vaccines and community engagement in effective rabies prevention.

Viet Nam has made progress in recent years to eliminate rabies through coordinated efforts by MARD, MOH and provincial authorities. 49 people in 20 provinces and cities died of rabies this year compared to 52 deaths in 22 provinces and cities at this point last year. This progress demonstrates Viet Nam’s government is on the right track to eliminate rabies. Nevertheless, the final stretch is the hardest and Viet Nam has to continue to take strong action to achieve the ASEAN target of rabies elimination by 2020.

This year’s World Rabies Day celebration in Nghe An province on the 24th September brings together communities, authorities and animal health and human health experts from provinces where rabies is still reported. At the event, government officials, communities and hundreds of students, will express their commitment to collaborate and join a flashmob dance to promote rabies vaccination and community engagement.

Elimination of rabies in Viet Nam by 2020 requires sustained political commitment, underpinned by strong health and veterinary services. “Rabies is a global concern and all of us can play a role in eliminating it. By educating the public how to prevent rabies and vaccinating dogs to stop the disease at source, we are saving not only lives but also contributing to end rabies everywhere” said FAO Representative to Viet Nam, Mr Jong-Ha Bae, and WHO Representative to Viet Nam, Dr Lokky Wai.

Local authorities in provinces where rabies occur must provide leadership and commitment to control the spread of rabies. “Rabies elimination is feasible, provided that at least 70% of all the dogs are vaccinated and people who get bitten by dogs proactively seek medical consultation and vaccination. Early detection and prevention can only be achieved by close collaboration and sharing of resources across sectors. The World Rabies Day is an opportunity to strengthen these collaboration and reaffirm the stakeholders’ commitment” said Dr. Pham Van Dong, Director of Animal Health Department and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Dac Phu, Director General Department of Preventive Medicine.

For more information, please contact:

General Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health
Tel: 84-4- 38456255
E-mail: baocaobtn@gmail.com

Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Tel: 84-4-8685104

E-mail: dichte.dah@gmail.com

Rabies control program office, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology

Ms Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong

Tel: 84-4-39712719

E-mail: phongchongbenhdai@gmail.com

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 
Ms Nguyen Thuy Hang 
One Health Advocacy and Communications Coordinator

Tel: 84-4- 38501829
Email: Hang.nguyenthuy@fao.org

World Health Organization (Viet Nam)

Ms. Tran Thi Loan 
Tel: 84-4-38500100 
Mobile: 0915 413 814
Email: wpvnmedia@who.int

“Viet Nam Farmers’ Union has been one of FAO’s major counterparts and throughout the joint activities, they have showed their professionalism with its structured and organized network, enabling a direct and effective support to a vast group of farmers in Viet Nam. Maintaining this good relationship, I look forward for a more fruitful and successful collaboration with the VNFU in the future” stated Jong Ha Bae. 

Working towards an improved sustainable management for farm and forest households with VNFU.

Viet Nam Farmers’ Union (VNFU) is a mass organization of farmers in Viet Nam organized in national, provincial, district and commune levels counting up to 10 080 636 members within the union. The union represents farmers in all sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fishery, salt making, handicraft, small rural industry services and other fields in rural areas.

Recognizing this strong potential to make a huge impact in poverty reduction and livelihood improvement at the grass-root level, FAO Viet Nam, in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is implementing the Forest and Farm Facility Program (FFF program) with the Viet Nam Farmers’ Union to improve the livelihoods and income of small scaled farms and forest households through ensuring the sustainable management of farms and forests.

During its three years of implementation, the FFF program in Vietnam, facilitated by the Vietnam Farmers’ Union will strengthen smallholder producer organizations for business and policy engagement, catalyze multi-sectoral stakeholder policy platforms at local and country level, and share experiences to regional and global programs. Also, it targets to encourage VNFU and FFPOs to participate in decision making process and policy formulation on the issue related to land and forest protection at a local, national and international level. 

Most recently, FAO conducted an intensive proposal writing training course for selected farmers to improve their writing and problem-solving skills to allow them to better understand and develop their projects. The course was also unique in a way as the farmers were not only new to grant-making and proposal writing processes, but also many had never used a computer, were poorly educated and unaccustomed to articulating problems and solutions. This will ultimately benefit the agricultural communities and build more ownership to their own projects for farmers.

On 20-21 July, FAO Viet Nam’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) and World Health Organization Viet Nam supported the launch of ‘Coordinated Surveillance for Influenza and Other Viruses of Pandemic Potential Inception workshop’, as a pilot activity under LISN, in Ha Noi. This meeting was organized by the General Department of Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health (GDPM-MOH) and the Department of Animal Health of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (DAH-MARD) to introduce the concept of coordinated surveillance among public health, livestock and wildlife. LISN aims to reduce the risk and impact of emerging pandemic threats, applying a One Health (OH) approach through the surveillance for influenza A virus and other potential pandemic threats in livestock, wildlife and humans at their interface or points of contacts.

Bringing counterparts from national, regional, provincial level leaders and implementing partners from human and animal/wildlife health sectors, the roles and responsibilities of each implementing partner were discussed and agreed during the workshop. Furthermore a work plan was developed for the period from August 2016 to September 2017. During this implementation time, the coordinated surveillance will be piloted in Dong Thap and Quang Ninh provinces.

What makes the Coordinated Surveillance for Influenza and Other Viruses of Pandemic Potential special is that it will build upon the already existing resources and networks, ultimately increasing the practicality and effectiveness for animal and human health sectors. LISN is not a new surveillance initiative and it is specifically designed based on the existing infrastructure so that it could be sustained without donor support in the future.

Under the Coordinated Surveillance for Influenza and Other Viruses of Pandemic Potential, DAH will utilize the poultry and swine samples that are already collected from existing surveillance programmes in Viet Nam to monitor and characterize influenza viruses and other potential pandemic pathogens. Then, they will share livestock surveillance results with health and wildlife surveillance partners to identify potential relationships with viruses circulating in humans, livestock and wildlife and be able to expand characterisation of influenza viruses found in human and animal, test existing specimens for other viruses with epidemic or pandemic potential. The output will be shared across sectors for joint situation analysis and risk assessment for future policy development in disease control and prevention.

“Health security is the most important goal we all strive to achieve and the collaboration among public, animal and environmental health sectors in this coordinated surveillance could increase the effectiveness of disease detection, prevention and control in all sectors. With existing capacity, system and the strong relationship among all agencies involved in surveillance activities, both from Government of Viet Nam and international development partners, I believe we can all contribute to the Viet Nam and Global health security.” said Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

(The answer of interviewees are marked as ‘P’ for Pawin Padungtod, ‘H’ for Hang Thuy Nguyen and ‘O’ for Oanh Phuong Nguyen. Questions are indicated as Q.)

Q. Before we talk about the mission, could you explain a bit on One Health?

P. It is an integrated approach that calls for multidisciplinary and inter-sectoral cooperation and communication, among human health, animal health and ecosystem health to address health issues facing our ecosystem. One Health approach has been applied to infectious diseases emerged at the human-animal interface, especially those with the potential to cause pandemic and can seriously impact public health and livelihoods.

H. Experiencing outbreaks originated from different animals, especially like H5N1 and rabies, we have learnt that One Health provides solutions to effectively prevent and control zoonotic and transboundary diseases from the farm level in Viet Nam.

Q. Then how would you define FAO’s role in the implementation of One Health initiatives in Viet Nam then?

H. FAO ECTAD Viet Nam has been providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to control H5N1 outbreaks in poultry, One Health collaboration, surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, biosecurity, value chain analysis and advocacy have been the core areas of work we supported.

P. In order to implement the One Health approach, we have facilitated the conversation between animal health and human health government agencies to identify opportunities for collaboration. Within the UN system, we have been supporting various policy dialogues, multi-stakeholder coordination and consultation between national and international partners with WHO and UNDP.  One Health approach can also be extended beyond Viet Nam borders, and together with the Government of Viet Nam, FAO organized animal-public health cross-border talks with neighbouring countries such as China or Cambodia to improve information exchange and build up a quicker response to outbreaks.

Q. So, where in Viet Nam were the One Health activities supported by FAO?

O. Following from last year’s One Health mission to Thanh Hoa and Binh Dinh Provinces, this year we went to Quang Nam and Ha Giang Provinces in Viet Nam with officials from six agencies including Department of Animal Health, Regional Animal Health Office 2 (RAHO2), Department of Preventive Medicine (GDPM), National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), FAO and WHO. Like a troop of One Health promotors! It was a joint mission with the animal and human health key players from the government and UN.

Q. One Health promotors! What did you do as One Health promotors?

P. We went to the two provinces to see how the one health approach was applied. In Viet Nam, there is an inter-ministerial Circular 16, which was issued by both Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development since 2013. It provides the legal basis for coordination, information sharing and collaboration between the human and animal health sectors in surveillance, risk assessment and response activities. So basically, we were evaluating how the Circular 16 was being implemented by local human and animal health sectors.

O. We interviewed 22 leaders and technical officers from both animal and human health sectors of each province in commune, district and provincial level to ensure we were assessing the full picture of One Health implementation at all levels within the government.

Q. How exactly did you do that? Was there a tool used to get information from commune, district and provincial people?

H. We used a structured questionnaire to interview the people followed by discussions and collecting relevant evidences. For the interview, we focused on the subjects of surveillance, outbreak investigation and response, communications activities, training and study activities and implementation.

O. During direct discussions, we covered the difficulties, advantages and recommendations on implementing Circular 16.

Q. What were your impressions of One Health implementation during the assessment?

O.  We could see the substantial effort from both sectors to enhance working relationships but there could be more engagement of local authority’s leadership at provincial, district and commune level to support the Circular 16 implementation plan. Capacity building to better understand and properly apply the Circular 16 is critical for One Health implementation at the field. 

H. If local government could allocate funds to support the plan, invest in human resources, infrastructure and professional training at the commune level, it would improve the implementation of the Circular 16 a lot. Also capacity development on outbreak response and investigation for the public and animal health professionals at all levels is always needed.

Q. Are there any follow up actions to improve the implementation of circular 16?

P. We have developed several training programs to promote Circular 16 implementation, including response to priority zoonoses such as rabies. These trainings have been piloted in Ha Giang and Quang Nam.  We will collaborate with the relevant agencies to organize a training course on Joint outbreak investigation before the end of 2016.

H.  Along with the training, FAO ECTAD Viet Nam will cooperate with the Department of Animal Health, General Department of Preventive Medicine to implement the Circular 16 activities and support the provincial public and animal health staff in both Ha Giang and Quang Nam Provinces.

Q. Do you have any thoughts to share on this mission before wrapping up?

P. As a joint mission involving both animal and public health sector, I would say this mission was truly a demonstration of One Health collaboration. By interviewing officials from provincial to commune levels in Ha Giang and Quang Nam Provinces, we could witness their efforts to implement the Circular 16 at all levels despite their limited resources and capacity. On this occasion, we would like to reaffirm our technical assistance to the project in the spirit of One Health.

“It has been such an amazing journey to technically assist the Department of Animal Health, with their dynamic working spirit and professionalism. DAH has significantly outperformed in the region, showing great improvement in the animal health system to detect and respond to various diseases such as avian influenza, FMD, PRRS, rabies and so much more. We hope to continue to collaborate and witness more of DAH’s success in the region. And on this occasion, we would like to reaffirm our technical assistance to DAH-MARD.” stated Wantanee Kalprividh. 

FAO ECTAD Viet Nam and DAH, a history of close collaboration

During DAH’s 50 years of long history, DAH and FAO ECTAD collaboration started in 2006 when ECTAD Viet Nam was established to support the Government of Viet Nam in combatting the spread and entrenchment of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N1). This disease was starting to have significant economic impacts on the poultry sector, affect livelihoods and food security, as well as posing a global pandemic threat. DAH being FAO ECTAD Viet Nam’s main counterpart for the HPAI H5N1 control program, from 2006 through 2011, ECTAD Viet Nam assisted on a range of activities including coordination, capacity building, surveillance, laboratory strengthening and diagnostic capacity, conducting socio-economic and value chain studies, and improving advocacy and risk communication.

As the emergency situation subsided, the ECTAD Viet Nam program transitioned to address broader animal health, animal production, and food safety areas guided by shifting Viet Nam Government priorities. With DAH, the disease prevention and control program expanded to include other priority diseases such as rabies and other high impact animal diseases such as foot and mouth disease (FMD), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), classical swine fever (CSF), and other influenza A viruses including H7N9 and H5N6, to name a few. Currently, FAO ECTAD Viet Nam is focusing on developing DAH capacity for rapid detection of newly introduced influenza viruses, characterization of influenza viruses circulating in Viet Nam and coordinated surveillance for potential pandemic pathogens.  Apart from surveillance, FAO ECTAD Viet Nam collaborate with DAH to strengthening the epidemiology capacity through rolling out AVET (Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training) and advanced AVET training programs to national epidemiologists, setting up the Longitudinal Influenza Surveillance Network (LISN), and developing a platform for an effective disease reporting mechanism.

Furthermore, FAO is supporting DAH’s collaboration with the human health counterparts such as the General Department of Preventive Medicine (GDPM) within Ministry of Health and the National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) to implement the One Health initiative, which aims to address human, animal and ecological health in a collaborative cross-sectoral and transdisciplinary manner. Through this approach, ECTAD Viet Nam is contributing to Increasing the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises, ensuring the sustainability of the animal health and production interventions, and helping eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.

Contact:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Ms. Ki Jung Min (Outreach Coordinator)

Email: kijung.min@fao.org

Recognizing this strong potential to improve food security and farmers’ earnings at the same time, FAO Viet Nam joined hands with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), People’s Committee of Son La province and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Viet Nam and organized a 2-day workshop ‘Farmer organization and market linkages in the value chain for the production of safe vegetables and fruit in the northwest region’ in Moc Chau, Son La Province to create a platform for stakeholders to have an open discussion and seek ways for further improvement.

During the workshop, participants exchanged and discussed experiences, ideas and analysis to give solutions and directions for key changes and adjustments in mechanisms and policies to orient long-term strategy in developing the production region for safe vegetables and fruit. Various participants with different backgrounds joined the talks, ranging from representatives of International Organizations, MARD agencies, private sector, provincial departments and the national mass media agencies, enabling a fruitful analysis including the needs and lessons learned from all levels of participants. 

Under UN joint programme to support to the National Target Programme on the New Rural Development, with a view to promote mutual interests and cooperation in the new phase of National Target Program, FAO Viet Nam, UNIDO Viet Nam and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) signed an Aide Memoire with Son La People’s Committee during the workshop to keep their commitment and to support the Central government and local provinces. Through this Aide Memoire, it will provide a basis to explore opportunities to formulate joint activities to support the quality improvement and supply capacity of key agricultural commodities including vegetables and fruits by applying proper technologies along the value chain and to strengthen the capacity of agricultural cooperatives and farmers’ groups of Son La province.

“After participating in this platform of rich discussion, we were able to witness the efforts from all levels of stakeholders in order to move forward in Viet Nam’s food security and the improvement of farmers’ income. On this occasion, I would like to reaffirm our technical assistance in the future to MARD and Son La People’s Committee.” said Jong Ha Bae, the FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

A total of 477 113 hectares of cropland have been damaged, the fisheries and aquaculture sector has been severely hit and animals (poultry, pigs, buffaloes) have died, registered uncommon levels of sickness and migrated. In total, more than 600 000ha of productive land could be seriously affected by July 2016. As a result, an estimated 1.75 million people have lost their incomes due to the impact of the drought on the agriculture sector.

Recently, the EU’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) has announced its support to the humanitarian response to the current drought emergency in Viet Nam, allocating 2 million euros for the country and identifying Food Security as the sector most in need, along with Water and Sanitation. On 23 June 2016, FAO organized a mission with ECHO and Save the Children to Gia Lai Province, which is one of the most affected areas in the country, to show them first-hand the damages caused by the drought in the agriculture sector and its impacts on the food security of the affected communities.

During the mission, delegates visited drought-affected households at the Vuong Village, Ayun Commune, Chu Se District. Moreover, a meeting with the Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee was held to brief the visitors on the current situation and implemented activities from each department and agency. In the meeting, core drought stakeholders also participated from PPC leader, Department of Health, Department of Planning and Investment, Department Agriculture and Rural Development, Sub-department of Crop Production, Sub-department of Livestock and Animal Health, Sub-Department of irrigation, Red Cross Association and Women’s Union.

“With our own resources, and the contribution from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, FAO Viet Nam is carrying out various activities from need assessments to the emergency distribution of seeds and fertilizers. However more resources are needed in Viet Nam to meet the immediate needs of the Agriculture and Food Security sector with distributions of agricultural inputs, cash vouchers, restocking of animals, the provision of animal care and of fishing gears. Most importantly, it is essential to work together to address the medium and long term challenges caused by climate change and strengthen the resilience of communities to future shocks, protecting their livelihoods and ensuring their food security” stated Jong Ha Bae, FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

Instead, Viet Nam’s most severe drought in more than 60 years has left Chamale’s family and more than 1.75 million people in 18 provinces facing the loss of their livelihoods, with 1.1 million in need of food assistance and estimated economic loses amounting to USD671 million as of 15 June, 2016.

For Chamale, the drought is set to result in a second consecutive rice harvest failure, while it has already claimed the family’s two cows, half of its goats and chickens.

He told a FAO-led assessment mission, the second just completed in the worst affected areas currently in a state of emergency due in part to the 2015/16 El Niño weather phenomenon, the family had been forced to take out a loan to get by.

“If we are not able to pay the loan back, we will lose half of our irrigated land as it was assigned as a mortgage to receive credit,” said the Ray Lay ethnic minority man, who admitted he may be forced to migrate to a nearby city to look for construction work if the drought continued.

Further south in the Mekong Delta, 49-year-old farmer Ms. Nguyen Thi Dam also faces some tough choices.

Last October, hard work had seen her raise 40 ducks and 240,000 shrimp fingerlings within 2.6 hectares of cultivation fields. However, the FAO team found the drought had wiped out all her shrimp and 28 ducks within one month due to high levels of saltwater intrusion and salinity in the usually bountiful Mekong Delta.

“Life is also become more and more difficult as we have no access to water for daily usage,” said Nguyen.

These personal insights into the human cost of the drought point to the increased vulnerabilities of people usually considered less prone to impacts of such disasters.  

The FAO-led in-depth assessment mission to 54 villages, in collaboration with World Food Program, UN Women and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, examined the agriculture, food security and livelihoods needs of the Central Highlands (Dak Lak and Gia Lai provinces), Mekong Delta (Ben Tre and Kien Giang) and South Central (Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan) regions ravaged by the drought and saltwater intrusion.

Of all households interviewed, 40 percent had received some assistance from at least one source to compensate for losses from the ongoing drought, with the Vietnamese Government and charity groups the primary assistance deliverers.

The mission, following a first one during 21-24 March in response to a Vietnamese Government request for FAO and partners to utilize expertise to assess and recommend interventions in agricultural sub-sectors, also found that households’ capacity to cope with drought was largely dependent on capital ownership and financial resources.  Of households not reached by external aid, small-scale and agriculture-based ones were found to be the most vulnerable. With limited human capital and technical resources, these poorer households have mortgaged land or borrowed cash to purchase agricultural inputs. Failure to harvest crops and generate income during the past two crop seasons have exposed them to an extreme scenario with limited coping capacity.

While numerous short, medium and long-term interventions will be announced once data gathered during the second mission is analyzed, FAO and its partners are already working on ways to support the worst affected communities.

With support from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, FAO in July will distribute seeds and fertilizers to the most affected households in Ca Mau, Gia Lai, Kien Giang and Ninh Thuan provinces to restore livelihoods and strengthen food security. FAO is also developing a pilot drought index in Ninh Thuan to improve agricultural drought monitoring and early warning systems.

Such responses are vital, as more than 600 000ha of crops could be seriously affected by July. At present, a total of 477 113ha of cropland have been damaged, the fisheries and aquaculture sector has been severely hit and animals (poultry, pigs, buffaloes) have died, registered uncommon levels of sickness and migrated. Most importantly, it is essential to address the medium and long-term challenges caused by climate change and strengthen the resilience of communities to future shocks, protecting livelihoods and ensuring food security.

For the Department of Livestock Production, Scott Newman major achievements include supporting programmes to strengthen safe animal production practices and create national standards including biosecurity and production requirements, mainly in small and middle scale farms where farmers lack technical capacity, biosecurity standards, and guidelines.  Scott helped guide and develop methodologies to profile production systems and characterize cross-border and national chicken and free-grazing duck value chain and marketing systems including day-old chicks and eggs which is now closely linked to ongoing surveillance and early warning disease detection programs.

Scott worked with a multi-disciplinary team to develop a risk management strategy to control trans-boundary spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza between Vietnam and China, and between Vietnam and Cambodia and facilitated inter-governmental meetings to agree on multilateral implementation of action plans.

Moreover, Scott helped strengthened multiple elements of the Vietnam government’s livestock restructuring plan improving public-private partnership strategies for safe food animal production and marketing which allows Viet Nam to demonstrate leadership in the region in the livestock development sector.

 “It is a great honour to receive this award from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the government of Viet Nam. I hope that my small contribution to their progress has contributed to sustainable agricultural development and will support providing safe, disease-free food to the people of Viet Nam.  As Viet Nam is an up and coming country, I look forward to hearing about positive future success stories and I am confident that the country will continue to make improvements to livestock development sector and zoonotic disease prevention and control.” said Scott Newman.

FAO ECTAD Viet Nam continues to support the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development through the USAID-funded Emerging Pandemic Threats 2 program and UN Joint Programmes. This work will further mitigate the risk of disease transmission between livestock, wildlife and people. ECTAD also contributes further to One Health, the safe and effective use of antimicrobials and antibiotics in livestock production, and food safety in conjunction with the government of Viet Nam priorities.

After 8 years of technical assistance, an outstanding improvement in laboratory, surveillance and diagnosis capacity, policy formulation, biosecurity, and awareness have been recognized and appreciated. FAO Viet Nam’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) and the Department of Animal Health within MARD have recently co-published the ‘Legacy Document: 8 years of immediate technical assistance activities strengthening emergency preparedness for HPAI in Viet Nam’ to celebrate the successful collaboration between.

The legacy document is consisted of seven chapters each featuring activities that FAO ECTAD has supported the Government of Viet Nam including;

• Coordination and Management
• Surveillance
• Laboratory and Diagnostic Capacity
• Vaccination
• Biosecurity
• Socio-economics and HPAI control in Viet Nam
• Communication and Advocacy

The success stories and lessons learned from the 8-year-long project were shared with the animal and human health experts and development partners to present the national and international efforts of keeping Viet Nam safe from avian influenza.

After surviving the crisis surrounding the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1), the need for a fundamentally sustainable approach to fight against not only avian influenza, but also other livestock and zoonotic transboundary diseases has emerged. Building upon the long history of collaboration and lessons learned, FAO ECTAD Viet Nam has now transitioned to address broader animal health, animal production, and food safety areas guided by the current Viet Nam government priorities. Most recently, FAO is supporting One Health which aims to address human, animal and ecological health in a collaborative cross-sectoral and transdisciplinary manner. Through this approach, ECTAD Viet Nam is contributing to Increasing the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises, ensuring the sustainability of the animal health and production interventions, and helping eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.

Link to Legacy Document (English / Vietnamese)

To request hardcopy of the legacy document, please contact: kijung.min@fao.org

Who?

FAO Viet Nam’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) In collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) Viet Nam

What?

Reviewed National Rabies control and elimination program in 2016-2020

Where?

Hanoi, Viet Nam

When?

February 24-25, 2016

Why?

Fulfil the goal of ASEAN human rabies elimination by 2020

How?

Through the consultation workshop with the participation of Department of Animal Health - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (DAH-MARD), Department of Preventive Medicine - Ministry of Health (GDPM-MOH), National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), FAO Animal Health expert from Asia Pacific Regional office, USCDC, RAHOs, Regional public health institute, Sub-Department of Animal Health and Preventive Medicine Centre from the 12 provinces with high incidence of rabies

Rabies, a fatal viral disease of animals and humans, continues to pose a serious threat to human health and livelihoods in Viet Nam. According to a MOH report, approximately 400,000 people got bitten by suspected rabid dog and around 90 people were killed per year due to rabies during the past 5 years from 2011 to 2015. As most human rabies are transmitted from dogs, involving both animal and human health sectors is key to control this disease, and therefore, FAO ECTAD Viet Nam, in collaboration with WHO Viet Nam, has been actively supporting the Government of Viet Nam to control and prevent rabies in animals and its’ transmission to humans.

In February 2016, FAO ECTAD Viet Nam in collaboration with the Department of Animal Health organized a consultation workshop to review and finalize the National Rabies control and elimination program 2016-2020.  The workshop featured the Stepwise Approach to Rabies Elimination (SARE) tool of FAO and Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), which was used to identify gaps in rabies prevention and control. With the lessons learned from the National program in 2011-2015, and models of rabies control and prevention from FAO Viet Nam ECTAD’s activities, the new program aims to eliminate rabies in humans by 2020 focusing on 6 solutions (a) One Health inter-sectoral collaboration (b) Socio-cultural solutions (c) Communication (d) Policy and legislative solutions (e) Resource mobilization (f) International cooperation.

“We are very glad that FAO ECTAD Viet Nam’s activities such as One Health rabies control and prevention models or numerous communication campaigns have influenced the next National Rabies Programme 2016-2020. Reports from DAH and the provinces also showed that dog rabies vaccination rate increased from 37% in 2011 to 46% in 2014, and human post-exposure prophylaxis also increased. These were the main success of the national rabies control programme. FAO and WHO will continue to give technical support to the Government of Viet Nam to reach the goal of ending human rabies death by 2020.” said the Dr. Pawin Padungtod, the International Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

About the website

FAO Viet Nam’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) Programme launched its new website where it will act as an animal health information platform to offer Transboundary Animal Disease information and ECTAD updates to all visitors.

What are the key features of this website?

1. Stories from the field
   1. Interesting stories from the field
   2. Press releases
   3. Feature articles
   4. Photo essays on exciting field missions, workshops and conferences in Viet Nam. 
2. Disease situation updates
   1. Recent zoonotic diseases outbreaks in both animal health and human health sector within Viet Nam and Southeast Asia region.
   2. Surveillance results from ECTAD and other FAO programmes, Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and World Health Organization. 
3. Publications
   1. FAO technical documents (published guidelines, publications, and reports)
   2. Communication materials for general public (factsheet, infographics, and newsletter)
   3. The website offers customized information for visitors: government counterparts, donors, development partners, journalists, academic researchers, general public.
4. Future events
   1. Upcoming events and activities of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

About ECTAD Viet Nam Programme

The FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) Viet Nam program was established early in 2006 to support the Viet Nam government in combatting the spread and entrenchment of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N1). As the emergency situation subsided, the ECTAD Viet Nam program transitioned to address broader animal health, animal production, and food safety areas guided by shifting Viet Nam Government priorities. The disease prevention and control program expanded to include other important diseases including rabies, foot and mouth disease (FMD), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), classical swine fever (CSF), and other influenza A viruses including H7N9 and H5N6, to name a few. Most recently, FAO is supporting One Health which aims to address human, animal and ecological health in a collaborative cross-sectoral and transdisciplinary manner.

Ethnic minority groups (EMG) in Viet Nam are considered as one of the most vulnerable population groups to rabies accounting for about 41% of total human death cases during the last five years since 2011. Most of them live in remote areas and have limited access to resources and services such as education/ information, vaccines and medical services. Their low awareness about rabies in dogs and humans leads to wrong risk perception and practices toward the fatal but preventable disease. The recent joint FAO-DAH field missions further revealed that no education or outreach activities were held to the group, none of them were fully aware of safety of modern human vaccine, the importance of annual dog vaccination and proper wound washing despite the fact that they all raised dogs for generations and live in rabies high-risk areas.

As an effort to reach the unreached groups, the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD) of the Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO) of Viet Nam, in partnership with Department of Animal Health within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), General Department of Preventive Medicine within the Ministry of Health (MOH), has implemented an outreach advocacy and communications campaign to village heads of minority groups in high risk districts in Thai Nguyen and Phu Tho provinces.

“We understand that the village heads have a big influence and are highly respected by their group members. By engaging the leaders in our rabies control efforts, empowering them with up-to-date knowledge on vaccines, and supporting them with better understanding on rabies transmission risks, FAO believes that the they will be able to assist animal and public health officials in spreading rabies preventive messages to their people, contribute to increase dog vaccination in their areas and eventually decrease preventable death in human” said Dr. Pawin Padungtod, Technical Coordinator of ECTAD, FAO Viet Nam.

“What I have learnt today is new and very useful as I now fully understand that dog vaccination is to protect human against rabies not only dogs. I will share with my group about importance of both dog and human vaccines, advise them to go to the doctors instead of herbal treatment” said Ms Ha Thi Nhung from Muong tribe, Yen Lap district, Phu Tho province.

The advocacy and behavior change communications campaign focusing on the EMGs is one of the outreach priorities that FAO ECTAD has been supporting MARD and MOH. This initiative also includes the production of radio spots in ethnic minority languages concerning protective measures against rabies, such as vaccinating your dogs annually, immediately washing your dog bites with soap and clean water for at least 15 minutes, going to a hospital after being exposed to dog bites and scratches and reporting dog bites to your local public and animal health workers. The messages are disseminated nationwide to all the high risk provinces in Viet Nam.

The fourth Viet Nam - China Bilateral Meeting on collaboration to address transboundary animal diseases took place in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (FAO ECTAD) and financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Thirty-four representatives from the governments of Vietnam and China gathered in Ha Noi on 26 – 27 January 2016 to share information about disease outbreaks and trade requirements, animal and zoonotic diseases surveillance results, value chain studies on both sides of the border, and to develop road map for to establishing safer trade of animals and animal products between the two countries.

As Viet Nam and China share a long border, unofficial livestock trade is unavoidable to keep up with the market demand for animal protein. Both countries agreed to facilitate safer trade of poultry and cloven hoof animals in order to minimize the introduction and spread of priority diseases including Foot and Mouth Disease and Avian Influenza.

“This cross-border meeting is a first and important step in evaluating the feasibility of safer trade among Viet Nam and China. Over the past two days, we witnessed Viet Nam and China’s strong willingness and interest to keep both countries safer from transboundary and emerging infectious diseases. We hope this cross- border meeting will serve as a milestone for effective disease control in the region and enhance public health security” stated Dr. Scott Newman, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam

The meeting, facilitated by Dr. Wantanee Kalpravidh from the FAO ECTAD Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, concluded with development of a roadmap and timeline for a results based collaboration to enable safer trade of animals and animal products. . The meeting also agreed to establish a technical working group to review and suggest necessary modifications to import and export requirements, to conduct feasibility study and to organize a stakeholder consultation before the end of 2016. The next meeting is planned to be organized in China in the first quarter of 2017.   

The NTP-NRD marking its sixth year since its launch, FAO Viet Nam in collaboration with UN agencies and MARD brought government counterparts, research institutions and other involved stakeholders in Hoa Binh Province to share the success stories and lessons learned and find solutions to build on for NTP NRD the next 5 years.

During the first 5 years of the NTP-NRD, rural infrastructure and living standard in rural Viet Nam have improved remarkably, doubling the average rural income per capita to 24,4 million Vietnamese Dong  compared to 2010, when the project was first implemented.  Also, 1,526 communes and 15 districts were able to reach the NRD criteria of infrastructure. NRD has recently started to become a new positive norm in the rural area and resource contribution from the local people accounted for more than 12 percent of total resources of operating the NRD in the last five years.

Despite these outstanding improvements, FAO presented some recommendations to re-design of policy, mechanisms and actions to lift up the disadvantaged groups in remote and mountainous areas, boost up the participation of the rural people by promoting community spirit at the grass root level, and invest more on the capacity building of officers and rural facilitators, particularly from the commune and village level.

“After cooperating half a decade with the Vietnamese government on the NTP-NRD, FAO is glad to assist MARD for the next 5 years to achieve the success of agriculture restructuring process and new rural development in the coming time. We especially believe that FAO’s activities on improving food safety, food security, natural resource management, and reaching zero hunger will technically contribute the success of agriculture restructuring process and the new rural development.“ said Jong-Ha Bae, the FAO Representative in Viet Nam.

In the coming time the strategic objectives of FAO in line with Sustainable Development Goals (the SDGs) supporting at country, regional and global level are helping eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, making agriculture forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable, reducing rural poverty and enabling inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems.

Mr. Hoang Thanh Van, The Director General of DLP on behalf of the Minister of MARD, awarded the certificate of merit to Mr. Jong Ha Bae, the FAO Representative of Viet Nam for FAO’s contribution to the development of the livestock sector in Viet Nam in 2010-2015. During the ceremony, Mr. Hoang Thanh Van specifically acknowledged and thanked the FAO Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases program in Viet Nam (FAO ECTAD VN) for supporting DLP on; (1) poultry value chain studies (2) biosecurity standards for hatchery and parent flock farm (3) poultry traceability and food safety work FAO and DLP have successfully implemented in the past 5 years.

Since 2010, FAO ECTAD VN has been collaborating with DLP-MARD in various projects to support a healthy livestock sector in Viet Nam. Starting from an avian influenza risk assessment on poultry value chains in 2010, additional value chain studies within Viet Nam and across borders have been conducted to advise the government on disease and food safety risk management. The poultry pilot traceability project in Ho Chi Minh city and surrounding Provinces continues to support a public-private collaboration that can potentially be expanded nationally.

Throughout the successful FAO ECTAD VN and DLP-MARD collaboration, biosecurity guidelines for both small and medium scale hatcheries and parent flock farms were officially published by MARD (No: 1057/ Decision-MARD-DLP and No: 713/ Decision-DLP) and was integrated into the Vietnamese circular (No: 45/2014/Circular-MARD). Furthermore, recently, two parties have launched its training manual on based on the guidelines in the goal of reaching out to stakeholders to ground level and implementing a more sustainable solution for the future of poultry production and disease control in Viet Nam.

Recently, FAO ECTAD VN has supported work on antimicrobial resistance in collaboration with DLP-MARD and this focuses on the safe and responsible use of antimicrobials in livestock sector.

“Just as crop production has impressively increased in the recent years in Viet Nam, and helped to improve livelihoods in rural areas and generate profits, we believe that livestock production has the same potential. We hope to further continue the great collaboration between FAO and DLP-MARD to keep Viet Nam safer from zoonotic diseases, but to also improve the quality of livestock production” stated Jong Ha Bae upon receiving the award.

Who? FAO Viet Nam Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) and Department of Livestock Production within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (DLP-MARD)

What (happened)? National Dissemination Workshop for good hatchery practices and biosecurity training manual and handbook

Where? Hanoi, Viet Nam

When? December 18^th, 2015

Why? To roll out the new training manual and handbook on hatchery good practices and biosecurity and to introduce the Hatchery Training Experts.

How? With the financial support from the World Poultry Foundation (WPF)

Since the H5N1 HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) outbreak started in 2003, poor biosecurity in poultry farms has been recognized as one of the factors that contributes to the risk for disease introduction, and spread, as well as threatening food safety along poultry value chains in Viet Nam. Although big industrial farms follow biosecurity guidelines, small and medium scale hatcheries and parent flock farms, which comprise a significant part of the Vietnamese poultry production system, lack standards and practical guidance for implementation at farm level. 

Therefore, after piloting simple, practical and feasible biosecurity standards within 12 hatcheries and parent flock farms, DLP and FAO created biosecurity guidelines as a part of a USAID funded project. Following on from this work, and through the support from World Poultry Foundation (WPF), FAO Viet Nam and DLP, developed a training manual, handbook, as well as trained experts on good hatchery practices and biosecurity. The training manual and handbook were developed based on the lessons learned from the pilot farms and it includes frequently asked questions and answers for farmers. Training materials, behavior change stickers, and an introductory leaflet featuring the hatchery training experts were also provided at the workshop. Hatchery training experts were chosen through a rigorous training and evaluation process by FAO and DLP and they will introduce and promote good practices to farmers, serve as technical mentors and continuously communicate with farmers to support production. 

Participants of the national dissemination workshop include key industry partners, government departments, research centers, universities, training centers, and development agencies. To feature elements of the training manual, displays and posters on good hatchery practices were installed at the venue with hatchery training experts standing near each poster to help explain the key technical points to workshop participants.

“Today we introduce our biosecurity training manual and it is also a day to celebrate the successful collaboration between DLP and FAO on improving poultry farm biosecurity within Viet Nam. With our newly developed training manual and hatchery training experts, we expect the manual to be rolled out to a broader group of small and medium sized hatchery owners, ultimately offering a more sustainable solution to poultry production in Viet Nam“ stated Dr. Scott Newman, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

Limited regulations of antibiotic use in the feed and the livestock sector in Vietnam is controversial issue, as the misuse of antimicrobials had led to an increasing concern about the large amount of antibiotics that are entering the food chain and could promote bacterial resistance and result in less efficient antibiotic treatments for human and animal diseases. This has also contributed to challenges associated with international trade.

Therefore, in order to technically support the Government of Viet Nam with the formation of policy guidelines on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the first workshop on the management and use of antibiotics and antimicrobials in the livestock sector is being held in Da Nang. This workshop organized by the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Viet Nam in collaboration with the Departments of Livestock Production and Animal Health, within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

This workshop brings together experts from both public and private sectors, varying from animal health researchers and policy makers to business enterprises of animal feed and veterinary drugs. Six international experts from South Korea, Netherlands, United States, and China will also share their experience on antimicrobial use in livestock production and the lessons learned in planning, field implementation, regulations, and enforcement. 

“FAO is keen to support this workshop as it will help determine priorities and main thematic areas to be considered in developing the Action Plan for Safe and Strategic Use of Antimicrobials and Antibiotics in Livestock in Viet Nam. This is a great opportunity to learn from other countries with more experience, and then cater their advice into practically relevant approaches in Viet Nam” stated Scott Newman, the Senior Technical Coordinator of FAO ECTAD Viet Nam.

“This workshop builds upon the collaborative aide memoire on multi-sectoral action to combat antimicrobial resistance in Viet Nam that was signed in June 2015 by MARD, MOH, FAO, WHO, and the Oxford University. Through this workshop, MARD will be better positioned to be able to adjust policies that lead to better husbandry practices including safe and effective use of antibiotics and antimicrobials”, said Nguyen Xuan Duong, Deputy Director General of Department of Livestock Production, MARD.

Under the United Nations One Plan Initiative, FAO will further collaborate with WHO and support strengthening surveillance capacity for antibiotics at the human-animal-food-environment interface including conducting a survey of antimicrobials in some common food products in Viet Nam.

On top of the certificate ceremony, an exhibition was held as an opportunity for students to show their talent and interest in food issues in response to the World Food Day theme, “Social Protection and agriculture: breaking the cycle of rural poverty”.

The World Food Day Poster Contest is one of the oldest FAO outreach projects involving students across the globe. Since its launch, the WFD poster contest has inspired thousands of children and young people to put their creativity and talents to work and figure out ways to fight poverty and hunger in their countries. 

This celebration, attended by FAO Representative in Viet Nam Mr. JongHa Bae, Vice Minister of MARD Mr. Le Quoc Doanh, Vice Chairman of Lao Cai People’s Committee Mr. Dang Xuan Phong and representatives of related State institutions, provincial leaders and farmers, also comes as FAO celebrates the 70th anniversary of its founding, with the theme “Social Protection and Agriculture: Breaking the Cycle of Rural Poverty”.

FAO has made real progress in fighting global hunger and poverty in recent decades and contributed to Viet Nam’s achievement of a number of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of schedule. During 2009-2014, more than one million people escaped hunger and the country’s poverty rate fell to 6 per cent.

“With the World Food Day theme this year ‘Social Protection and Agriculture: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty’,Viet Nam is making efforts to move towards the 2020 goal to basically form a social protection system covering the entire population to ensure people have jobs, a minimum income, social insurance, guarantees to support those people with difficulties, such as children with special needs, low income people, the disabled and the poor to ensure access to basic social services,”  said Mr. Le Quoc Doanh.

Viet Nam will continue to focus efforts on maintaining and enhancing the MDGs, while at the same time moving forward a more sustainable and comprehensive development model. However, ensuring these achievements are obtained for all social groups, especially vulnerable group remains a major challenge.

“With most poor and hungry people still living in rural areas and dependent on agriculture, twinning social protection with agricultural development programmes makes compelling sense.  This is why FAO chose social protection and agriculture as the theme of World Food Day this year,” said Mr. JongHa Bae.

“FAO is committed to helping our member countries achieve this. We are determined to break the cycle of rural poverty by linking social protection to improvements in agricultural production with a backstop when things go wrong,” he said.

Social protection programmes on their own are not enough to move people out of poverty, food insecurity or malnutrition as they do not address the structural causes of these problems. That is why social protection programmes should be linked to productivity-enhancing measures that sustainably improve farm incomes and nutrition as well as provide jobs and supply social and public services such as education and health care. This year with the 70-year anniversary of the United Nations and new Sustainable Development Goals SDGs, there is a mandate to ending hunger and extending social protection.

After the ceremony, a field training on crop production was held to introduce productivity-enhancing measures to improve farmer incomes in the province’s Bat Xat district as part of the World Food Day ceremony this year.

The Zero Hunger Challenge (ZHC) was launched by the United Nations Secretary-General at the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil in June 2012. It called on all societies in the world to join forces to end hunger and achieve sustainable development with the five objectives (i) 100% access to adequate food all year round,(ii) Zero stunted children under 2 years, (iii) All food systems are sustainable, (iv) 100% growth in smallholder productivity and income, particularly for women  and (v)  Zero loss or waste of food, including responsible consumption.

In December 2013 the UN Regional Thematic Working Group on Poverty and Hunger, chaired by FAO and co-chaired by UNDP and ESCAP, prepared a Regional Guiding Framework for Achieving Zero Hunger in Asia and the Pacific through extensive multi-stakeholder consultations. This Framework, which was endorsed in December 2013 by the Ministerial Conference on Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration in Asia and the Pacific convened by ESCAP, is intended to assist UN Member States in the region in formulating and implementing national zero hunger initiatives. 

National Action Plan for Zero Hunger in Viet Nam

Vietnam’s per-capita GDP more than trebled between 1991 and 2012 and the prevalence of poverty, undernourishment and malnutrition also declined sharply. The undernourished proportion of the population declined to about 8 in 2011-13 from 47 percent 20 years earlier, while the proportion of children under 5 years of age who were stunted or underweight declined to about one-third of their levels of 20 years level. These are remarkable achievements.

Nevertheless much remains to be done if hunger is to be eradicated over the next decade or so. Access to food remains problematic for many households, especially those living in rural areas and mountainous areas, where poverty can be severe. About 1 out of 8 Vietnamese children are still underweight and 1 out of 4 stunted. Assuring the sustainability of Vietnam’s food system remains problematic. A key part of any solution to this issue is achieving reductions in food loss and waste. Smallholders with limited access to productive assets including land, make up the majority of farmers. Achieving sustainable increases in their productivity is indispensable for achieving increases in their incomes.

The goal of achieving zero hunger by 2025 is shared by the Government of Vietnam. In order to fulfil its goal, the Government of Vietnam has sought FAO's technical assistance to formulate a National Action Plan to respond to the ZHC.

The overall objective of this project is to formulate a National Action Plan for the Zero Hunger Challenge that provides a basis for eradicating hunger and malnutrition in Vietnam by 2025, while contributing to the Socio-Economic Development Plan 2016-2020, in particular its two National Target Programmes (NTPs): (i) Sustainable Poverty Reduction and (ii) New Rural Development

Q. Hello Mr. Thuoc, could you give a brief introduction of yourself?
A. I am the administrative assistant for FAO Viet Nam and I have been working with FAO since it opened its doors in Viet Nam.

Q. How long have you been working with FAO Viet Nam?
A. 36 years. I started as a driver for FAO Viet Nam in 1979. Before, I was in the army in 1972 and after worked in the trade Union before coming to FAO Viet Nam.

Q. 36 years, that's a very long time. Could you describe the situation in Viet Nam at that time, how was it like 3 years after the war?
A. Vietnam was at its difficult time right after the war. There were several UN agencies, and as it had poor infrastructure, most UN agencies were located in big hotels. There were only 4 big hotels in Hanoi and FAO and UNDP were located in a hotel which is currently known to be the historical Metropole hotel. At FAO, we were 6 in total at that time. 3 international staff: 1 FAO Representative, 1 Program Officer, and 1 Administration Officer, and 3 national staff members including me.

Q. Before FAO came into the country, how were food related issues dealt in the country?
A. Before United Nations started implementing projects in Viet Nam, we used to get food support from the Soviet Union network. Soviet Union and Eastern Germany helped the distribution and transportation of food to remote areas. Right after the war the United Nations came into the country and World Food Programme (WFP) did a great job in relieving the immediate food shortage problems, distributing bread and milk throughout the country.

Q. Do you remember any big projects FAO implemented?
A. There was an 8million USD project building agriculture infrastructure and institutes and providing agriculture equipment to the country. 8million dollar is still a big amount of money these days, but considering it was 30 years ago, it was a very big project.

Q. What was the most memorable moment in FAO Viet Nam for you?
A. Whenever we would go to the field, everyone would notice FAO and welcome us. We were more popular than other aid organizations and people would actually cheer for us when we passed by in our Toyota car with FAO logo. FAO projects were that big, and were really stretched out to the community level. For another event I remember is that, around 1984, there was a huge flood in Ha Noi and all international staff members had to escape and stay in a diplomatic compound. Cars were under water and the water level would reach up to my chest. At that time, I had to go through the deep water and deliver them food, water, and also an oil cooker! I had to do that for a week.

Q. You've spent most of your adult life with FAO, how do you feel like aging with FAO Viet Nam?
A. I am very happy to have spent my time with FAO and look forward to continue. I met so many amazing people till today, who are all hard working and very devoted to their work and have responsibility to make a positive difference.

Q. Lastly, can you describe FAO in one word?
A. Excellence! Best colleagues, amazing teamwork, and a respectable organizational culture!

The recurrent climate-related shocks occurring in the regions of South of Africa and the Indian Ocean, have always been negatively affecting the highly sensitive livelihoods and economies of local communities, eroding their ability to fully recover from them and increasing their vulnerability to subsequent disasters.

This is also why, during its fourth decade of existence, FAO gave greater attention to the development of small-scale irrigation schemes as an attractive way to re-establish production and income and to increase significantly the resilience of the local population to overcome subsequent emergencies.

Large schemes, although they have their place, they require an extremely long gestation period and involve enormous investments. They are also highly demanding in terms of management, farmer training and maintenance. While small scale irrigation projects are much more limited in their impact, they can be carried out much faster and yield quick results such as increasing food produce for farmers and their resiliency to future threats, providing consistent employment.

Harnessing marine resources to alleviate hunger
When FAO was first established, the principle of the freedom of the seas were regarded as available to all and the responsibility of no one. In the following years, FAO noted how harnessing this underused resource could help alleviate hunger for so many farming communities in underdeveloped regions.

Thanks to remarkable technological advancements, fish production in the world more than quadrupled from the 1940s to the mid-1970s. Success has its dangers, and in this case the uncontrolled expansion, mainly by industrialized nations, resulted in the overexploitation of many valuable fish stocks. By the mid-1970, total world fish production began to level off.

For developing countries, the situation was different. Many lacked the capacity to benefit from the freedom of the seas. Adding insult to injury, they would endure foreign fleets fishing near their shores. This issue was raised in international fora and after many discussions, it was unilaterally agreed that extended jurisdiction of a coastal state over fish resources would be claimed for up to 200 miles seawards. This was enclosed in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea which presented the opportunity to manage this precious resource properly.

The FAO Conference on Fisheries Management and Development held in Rome in 1984, provided the first major follow-up to the new regime for the world's oceans with a strategy, described as 'world charter for fisheries'.
As developing countries were striving to increase their share of world trade in fish and fishery products, FAO established regional fish market information services.

Increasing Livestock Production
In the 1960s, policy makers' focused primarily on crop production at the expense of developing their livestock. Ten years later, as incomes were rising, the demand for livestock products increased dramatically. The average intake of animal protein, including fish, in developing countries went up by 20 percent. FAO's focus has concentrated on containing and preventing diseases and on technologies to increase production. The ways to do this has been by improving breed and feed of livestock.

Therefore the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) Programme within FAO Viet Nam developed basic and advanced guidelines for farmers of small and medium scale poultry breeder farms and hatcheries. These guidelines were implemented in 6 parent flock farms and 6 duck hatcheries in 2 provinces.

Hatchery Farmers and Social Protection

By implementing recommended biosecurity measures in farms, farmers witnessed big improvements in many aspects. The rate of egg productivity and hatchability increased and automatically farmers were able to gain more income than before. From this guideline, small and medium scale farmers will be able to build up more resilience towards disease outbreak or natural disasters, as they are the more vulnerable than industrial factories.

World Food Day in Viet Nam, 2015. The theme for World Food Day in 2015 is "Social Protection and Agriculture: breaking the cycle of rural poverty", to draw global attention to the role that social protection plays in eradicating hunger and poverty. In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), FAO Viet Nam will be celebrating World Food Day at Lao Cai Province, Viet Nam this year.

World Food Day online campaign. From today, October 8th 2015, FAO Viet Nam will be uploading a World Food Day feature article every day and a related post on FAO's Facebook page. Please follow FAO Vietnam's website and FAO's Facebook page or follow the hashtag #WFD2015 or #WFDvietnam on social media for more exciting stories.

“I strongly believe that the support of this project will practically contribute to improving the health and nutrition of mothers and children in Viet Nam, enforcing guidelines and policies of the State of Viet Nam, especially ensuring the sustainability of the Millennium Development Goals and orienting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals that the United Nations has just adopted.” said Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long, Vice Minister, Ministry of Health.

Ms. Pratibha Mehta, UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam said: “From the UN side, a total of four UN agencies - FAO, UNICEF, WHO and UN Women - will work together, each utilizing their core knowledge and expertise on food security, health and nutrition for children and vulnerable groups in Viet Nam.”

Viet Nam has put in place several national policies to improve the nutrition and food security across the country, including a Nutrition Strategy that aims at intensify interventions to improve maternal, neonatal and infant nutrition in order to reduce stunting.  However, critical gaps remain in health care capacity, existing health systems, and community networks in areas most affected by under-nutrition.

The joint Government - UN programme on integrated nutrition and food security will target the most disadvantaged ethnic minorities, those living in poverty and seek to reduce inequity gaps with a goal to improve the nutritional status of more than 36 million women of reproductive age and 7.1 million boys and girls under five in Viet Nam.  

Support will focus on high poverty provinces of Lao Cai and Ninh Thuan to gather data and evidence that will inform national policy changes and scale up of sustainable and integrated nutrition and food security models. The programme will also train staff and support capacity development of local institutions, organizations and policy makers responsible for management and implementation of nutrition and food security programmes. The programme priorities are driven by the National Strategies for Nutrition and Food Security with guidance from the Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement as Viet Nam joined this global initiative in 2014.  

For further information, please contact Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhat at Nhat.Nguyen@fao.org

FAO Representative in Viet Nam Mr. Jong-Ha Bae and Vice Minister of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development (MARD) Mr. Tran Thanh Nam joined international and national rural development experts as well as representative of provinces to map out the next stage of the New Rural Development Programme (NRD) for 2016-2020.

"Today's conference is an important step towards laying the foundation for new approaches, new solutions and mobilize new partnerships for the new rural development programme in Viet Nam," Mr. Jong-Ha Bae told the conference in Ha Noi.

At the conference, international experts outlined a number of innovative approaches that could be taken to enhance the programme's next phase. FAO and other UN agencies have supported the implementation of the programme, as part of the project "UN Support to the National Target Programme on the New Rural Development (NTP-NRD)", in the past three years with the MARD. To now, more than 780 rural communes nationwide have benefited from the project with improved rural livelihoods. The conference was expected to contribute to the development of a framework for the NRD 2016-2020.

"To develop this programme in the new phase, it is important to learn international experiences, particularly in terms of policy mechanisms and institutional organization models of rural development," said Mr. Jong-Ha Bae.

The workshop, the 5th UN-REDD Regional Lessons Learned Workshop for Asia and the Pacific, provided an opportunity for information exchange and joint learning across countries in the region. Experts from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and other institutions based throughout the region shared the latest international guidance and technological advice on NFMS and RELs.

In his opening speech, Dr. Nguyen Phu Hung, Director of Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation under VNFOREST, underlined the importance of developing a comprehensive national forest monitoring system in order for countries to integrate the forest sector into their approaches to climate change mitigation.

The NFMS and RELs are two of four key pieces of work that countries must complete to participate in a mechanism for REDD+ as part of a future international climate change agreement.
Viet Nam is one of the first countries in the world to move into the second phase of REDD+ Readiness, where on-the-ground demonstration activities are developed and implemented. This experience will be an important part of the learning process for other countries in the region.

The workshop is part of a series of regional events and serves as a platform for UN-REDD partner countries in Asia and the Pacific to build consistency in their approaches, to share successes and to learn how to handle challenges in preparing for REDD+. Co-organisers of the workshop also include two USAID-funded initiatives; SilvaCarbon and the Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (USAID LEAF) project.

About the UN-REDD Programme

The UN-REDD Programme is the United Nations collaborative initiative on REDD+ in developing countries. Launched in 2008, the programme builds on the convening role and technical expertise of FAO, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The programme supports nationally-led REDD+ readiness processes and promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders in national and international REDD+ implementation.
The Programme supports national REDD+ readiness efforts in 56 partner countries, spanning Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. By June 2014, total funding for these two streams of support to countries totaled US$195.7 million.
For more information, please visit www.vietnam-redd.org

Contact details:
Mr Ben Vickers, UN-REDD Regional Coordinator at FAO, UN-REDD Programme
Email: Ben.Vickers@fao.org
Hoang Viet Dung, Communication Officer, UN-REDD Viet Nam Phase II Programme
T: +84 4 37 28 65 20 * M: +84 (0) 912 625 704 * E: dung.hoang@unredd-vietnam.org.vn