Supporting the Government of Vietnam develop the National Nutrition Strategy
2021-2030
Project
Vietnam National Nutrition Strategy
COMPLETED
Overview
N4D supported the Government of Vietnam to develop the National Nutrition Strategy 2021-2030. In spite of considerable progress in nutrition over the preceding ten years, Vietnam is currently facing a number of nutrition challenges including a disproportionately high burden of malnutrition amongst the ethnic minorities living in the north and mountainous regions, rising rates of overweight and obesity in urban areas and increasing vulnerability to climate shock in large areas of the country. The NNS was drafted by a team, led by the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Nutrition, consisting of representatives from all the relevant Government line ministries. The process was also supported by in-country development partners, including UNICEF. The final strategy will be approved by the Prime Minister.
PROJECT LEAD
Jeremy Shoham
The N4D approach
N4D provided technical support in the analysis of the nutrition situation and helped to ensure that the strategy is guided by international evidence on what works, adapted to the Vietnam context. N4D analysed secondary data on trends and causes of malnutrition in Vietnam, as well as the policies and actions of the Government and other stakeholders to date, and documented them in a Country Brief. We also drafted a Global Brief, highlighting the benefits of scaling up investments in nutrition; mapping global and regional political commitments, targets and indicators; synthesising the international evidence on what works to reduce malnutrition; and identifying global and regional initiatives that provide opportunities for Vietnam and partners to make strong policy and financial commitments, e.g. the 2021 Nutrition Year of Action and UN Food Systems Summit, as well as to share Vietnam’s own lessons learnt, e.g. the SUN Movement and ASEAN Strategic Framework and Action Plan for Nutriton.
Results
N4D helped ensure the new strategy highlighted and prioritised issues of inequity, climate vulnerability and worsening overweight and obesity, especially in urban areas as well as set realistic and verifiable targets which would show progress in meeting these challenges. The experience of working closely with a government drafting team, albeit remotely due to COVID19 restrictions, was a very positive one and we believe that this third strategy is a significant advance on earlier strategies and will strengthen the position of nutrition in the overall government development process.
Please follow us to stay up to date on all our projects.