It’s a wrap! The fourth and final day of the 4th Global Conference of the One Planet Network’s Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) Programme has concluded, which also means that the conference has come to an end. During the last day of the conference programme, participants came together to consolidate the key takeaways from the conference.

The first session of the day was reserved for the dialogue of national conveners which, among other functions, represent the critical nodes in the food systems network for the implementation of national pathways at country level. Sir David Nabarro, Strategic Director of 4SD, delivered the keynote address and emphasized the complexity of systems-working as a method that reflects a dynamic and ever-changing reality. In this light, there is no single academic discipline for food, and working within systems takes a specific set of skills.

Ms Truong Tuyet Mai, Vice Director of the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and national convener of Viet Nam, presented the key learnings from the implementation of national pathways in Viet Nam. There is a strong support from the Government of Viet Nam toward the sustainable food systems transformation. One concrete example of this is the newly approved National Action Plan for Food Systems Transformation toward Transparency, Responsibility and Sustainability by 2030. Despite this feat, the work is not done, and Ms Mai underscored the current challenges of limited awareness and appropriate mindsets for sustainable food systems transformation – even at policy and expert level. “The 63 provinces and cities also have to develop their action plans. The different provincial departments […] really need to step in and contribute.”

The last session of the day, and the conference as a whole, was reserved for the moderators of all eight main sessions to reflect on the key takeaways and learnings during their respective sessions. Ms Corinna Hawkes, Director of the Food Systems and Food Safety Division (ESF), FAO, highlighted several critical elements of successful multi-stakeholder engagement, primarily to connect and collaborate. “Connection and collaboration have to become the norm of the way that we work through multi-stakeholder engagement. That connection and collaboration is not a choice, it’s an essential ingredient of how we work for food systems change.”

The closing remarks of the conference was delivered by Mr Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). The speech invoked the hope and energy which had been shared during the main programme of the conference by all participants, both physically present and joining online. While thanking all the organizers for their hard work, a special word of gratitude was directed to the main moderator of the conference, Ms Dada Bacudo, Senior Consultant and Expert on Climate Smart Agriculture, Land Use Policy, and Climate Finance, for her skillful agenda facilitation and friendship. Vice Minister Hiep humbly wrapped up the conference by looking ahead: “If we want to be successful, we really need to be patient, and we really need global cooperation and partnership.”