Advancing Climate Action through the Promotion of ‘Ugly’ Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Vietnam: Participatory Approach to Combat Food Loss and Waste for Food Security and Poverty Reduction

Summary

This project combats food loss and waste (FLW) in Vietnam by promoting the consumption of cosmetically imperfect “ugly” fruits and vegetables, enhancing food availability and smallholder incomes. Using a participatory approach, it connects producers, retailers, consumers and policymakers to shift perceptions and reintegrate ‘ugly’ produce back into the food chain, supporting SDGs 1, 2, 12 and 13. Key activities include mixed-method mapping of the FLW landscape, establishing Food-Saving Education and Innovation Labs (Food-SAILs) for co-creation of FLW reduction strategies, and pilot-testing in schools in Hanoi, wet markets and farms in Ha Nam, Vinh Phuc, and Tuyen Quang, to identify effective community-led solutions and advocate for policy changes. The learnings of Food-SAILs will be transformed into  independent ecosystems that extend successful practices nationwide and beyond, fostering sustainable transformations of the food system.

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