From policy to practice: Advancing a gender-responsive, low-emission food system in Vietnam

This paper examines Vietnam’s efforts to develop a gender-responsive, low-emission food system, focusing on the gap between policy design and practical implementation. Drawing on stakeholder perspectives, including government agencies, women, men, and youth, the analysis examines the effectiveness and implementation of national policies aimed at promoting women’s leadership, participation, and visibility in climate-smart agriculture. While Vietnam has made progress in mainstreaming gender into its food system strategies, persistent challenges remain. These include limited funding, entrenched social norms, inadequate attention to women’s specific needs, and weak alignment between national and local implementation. As a result, gender disparities in knowledge and participation continue to hinder the effectiveness and equity of climate-smart agriculture policies and projects. The paper highlights the importance of participatory, locally driven approaches to ensure inclusive and effective policy outcomes. Strengthening institutional coordination and investing in gender-sensitive implementation are key to achieving equitable, low-emission food systems in Vietnam.Author summary: In this paper, we explore Vietnam’s efforts to create a gender-responsive and low-emission food system, focusing on the gap between policy development and real-world implementation. We examine the perspectives of various stakeholders, including government agencies, women, men, and youth, to understand how national policies are addressing the role of women in climate-smart agriculture and their effectiveness. While there has been progress in incorporating gender considerations into food system strategies and projects, we identify ongoing challenges, such as limited funding, deeply rooted social norms, and insufficient attention to women’s specific needs. Moreover, there is a lack of alignment between national policies and local-level implementation, which contributes to continuing gender disparities in knowledge and participation. Our findings emphasize the need for participatory, locally driven, and gender responsive approaches to ensure that policies are both inclusive and effective. We also highlight the importance of strengthening coordination across institutions and investing in gender-sensitive implementation to achieve equitable and sustainable food systems in Vietnam.