On Thursday, 11 April, EuroCham convened with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)  to advocate for policies supporting sustainable food production, responsible farming practices, and green investment opportunities in Hanoi. 

The EuroCham delegation included  EuroCham’s Food Agri & Aqua Business Sector Committee (FAABS) Chairman Paul-Antoine Croizé, Vice-Chairs Ywert Visser and Thuy Nguyen, alongside the Head of our Hanoi Office cum External Relations Manager Van Nguyen, Advocacy Manager Diep Truong and EuroCham Sector Coordinator Khoa Nguyen. The group engaged in discussions with Dr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director General of MARD’s International Cooperation Department (ICD).

Emphasis on Sustainable Practices

The meeting highlighted EuroCham’s strong belief in the economic, environmental, and social benefits of adopting sustainable practices across Vietnam’s food, agriculture, and aquaculture sectors. Mr. Croizé emphasized the importance of agroecology and advocated for increased dialogue between European businesses, Vietnamese authorities, and local communities. This collaboration could be fostered through workshops, training programs, and seminars to drive forward a sustainable development agenda.

Collaboration Across Key Areas

The discussions covered a wide range of topics related to agriculture industry development. EuroCham and MARD both align towards One-Health Approach and Partnership between private-public partnership in animal production, acknowledging its role in ensuring animal welfare, public health, and a sustainable food system. Financing options for a more sustainable food, agriculture and aquaculture sector were also explored, alongside inquiries about the current status and potential EuroCham contributions to the Food Innovation Hub initiative.

Commitment to a Sustainable Future

EuroCham representatives further expressed keen interest in collaborating with MARD on carbon certification schemes, waste management initiatives, quality traceability programs, and developing partnerships in developing the Food Innovation Hub initiative in Vietnam.  

As many transnational food animal production companies increase their presence in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, harmonized regulations on different pillars of the agriculture industry are more than needed. The central theme of the discussion revolves around the strengthened partnership between MARD and EuroCham FAABS. . EuroCham affirmed its full support to MARD in ensuring a smooth transition to these sustainable agriculture policies and practices, aiming to maximize regulation compliance through the contribution of its members’ expertise and knowledge.Henceforth, both parties are looking forward to a cemented collaboration via various Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The meeting concluded with an invitation from EuroCham to MARD to participate in relevant panels at the upcoming Green Economy Forum and Exhibition in 2024. EuroCham believes MARD’s participation would provide valuable insights on regulations and industry trends for European businesses engaged in Vietnam’s agricultural sector.

Want to learn more about  Food Agri & Aqua Business Sector Committee (FAABS) ongoing advocacy efforts? Contact Mr. Khoa at khoa.nguyen@eurochamvn.org