Bring the Missing Middle: the case of pork and vegetable production and consumption in Vietnam

What is the project about?

Vietnam is a middle income country which is experiencing rapid transitions in food systems under the combined impacts of globalization, urbanization, and industrialization. Pork and vegetables are two among the most important food items in Vietnamese diets and have critical role in ensuring food and nutrition security. In addition, their production and distribution is also an important income source for many smallholders in rural and peri-urban areas. Nonetheless, both chains are grappling with alarming food safety risks, notably microbial contamination along pork value chains and excessive pesticide usage in vegetable production. Multiple state and non-state initiatives have been launched to address food safety issues, but the success of those interventions is still in question. Different lock-in mechanisms or gaps might affect the adoption and outcomes of such interventions in real-life practices.

The PhD project examines the cases of pork and vegetable systems in Vietnam, considering the ongoing transitions of production and consumption practices, and the complex interplay of different issues (food safety, environment, nutrition, and smallholder inclusion). Its central research question are: “How do the gaps (Missing Middle) in pork and vegetable food systems be characterized and addressed to promote the transitions towards food safety and other sustainability causes?”. The project applies both transition theory and social practice theory to respond to that question.

Publications

• Food system transitions in Vietnam: The case of pork and vegetable networks