STIRLING, United Kingdom — Food waste is an enormous problem globally, but in lower-income countries such as Vietnam, this problem is exacerbated. The most recent figures from the U.N.’s Food Waste Index, published in 2021, show that annually, people in Vietnam waste between 67 and 85 kilograms of food per capita.
With 5.7% of Vietnamese people undernourished, including 13.4% of children who are underweight according to data from the Global Food Security Index, hunger is also an important issue.
Vietnam’s population is expected to pass 100 million in 2024, meaning that fighting food waste in Vietnam is more urgent than ever.
Food Waste’s Impact on Hunger in Vietnam
Food waste in Vietnam occurs for several reasons, including people leaving 49% of food waste in the fridge for too long and wasting 35% due to excessive portions.
These two factors alone result in millions of tons of food going to waste annually which would otherwise be fit to eat, as opposed to food damaged during harvesting which would never make it to consumers. This means that vast quantities of food are going uneaten, and so there is less available for Vietnam’s most vulnerable citizens.
Evidence shows that self-driven initiatives can help reduce food waste in Vietnam, and therefore hunger. By reducing food waste through using leftovers instead of throwing away excess food, the cost of buying food has can fall by as much as one-third.
This would relieve significant pressure on households living below the poverty line and reduce hunger in Vietnam. However, for those without the means to buy any food or who lack the means to store or cook it, hunger is still a significant problem. Statistics from the Asian Development Bank show that 4.4% of Vietnamese people live in poverty, accounting for millions of individuals who are vulnerable to hunger.
Starbucks’ Partnership With Food Bank Vietnam
There are multiple organizations in Vietnam seeking to fight food waste and hunger, ranging from global brands to local social enterprises.
Starbucks has recently announced a partnership with Food Bank Vietnam aiming to reduce the effects of food waste in Vietnam. By reducing food waste across Starbucks stores in Ho Chi Minh City, vulnerable communities will benefit from receiving food donations that would otherwise have gone to waste.
The pilot scheme in Ho Chi Minh City, launched in August 2023, is part of a larger ambition to reduce hunger and food waste in Vietnam as part of Starbucks’ mission in the country.
The Work of VietHarvest
VietHarvest is implementing one larger-scale solution to food waste-related hunger in Vietnam. Jimmy Pham, who in 1996 founded Know One Teach One (KOTO), a social enterprise providing vocational training to underprivileged youth in Vietnam, and Louise Tran, after the successes of projects based in Australia and the U.K., co-founded VietHarvest in 2020.
Speaking to The Borgen Project, Tran said that “rising consumer access to food as well as a need for food relief” coupled with Vietnamese cultural values of food and community made the Southeast Asian country an ideal location to expand operations to.
In response to this urgent need, VietHarvest rescues and donates excess food to vulnerable communities in Vietnam. These groups include “those on low incomes as well as those who cannot afford quality nutritious food” according to Tran.
The 2023 CEO Cookoff
Hosting events such as 2023’s CEO Cookoff has allowed VietHarvest to raise funds and awareness around food waste in Vietnam. The CEO Cookoff project began in Australia in 2012 with VietHarvest’s sister organization OzHarvest and has since contributed 25 million meals to people facing hunger.
By inviting 10 celebrity chefs from Vietnam and Australia to cook for business leaders, VietHarvest was able to bring its mission to the attention of 200 local business and charity leaders. Following the event, Tran told The Borgen Project that VietHarvest had secured new partnerships with Vietnam Airlines and Classic Fine Foods among others. Furthermore, there is hope that the resounding success of the CEO Cookoff will strengthen VietHarvest’s “mission to reduce food waste and hunger.”
VietHarvest’s Collaborations
Alongside a growing number of staff and volunteers, VietHarvest has also collaborated with some influential partners to tackle food waste in Vietnam. Action on Poverty, an Australia-based nonprofit dedicated to fighting global poverty, partnered with VietHarvest in 2022. This partnership will allow VietHarvest to more efficiently fight hunger in Vietnam by making use of Action on Poverty’s extensive experience and networks.
How VietHarvest is Helping Vulnerable Communities
VietHarvest also provides important opportunities for those it serves. Following KOTO’s success in equipping underprivileged Vietnamese youth with vocational skills, Tran told The Borgen Project that VietHarvest provides “employment opportunities through our model as a social enterprise” and seeks to “make long term impact through innovative business models.”
In its relatively short lifespan, VietHarvest has already made a significant difference to thousands of people facing hunger in Vietnam. During 2023, the organization gave nearly 40,000 meals to vulnerable communities and rescued more than 18,000 kilograms of food.
Looking Ahead
Tackling food waste to reduce hunger is a complex issue, as it relies on utilizing existing food resources with a finite shelf life. Once food has spoiled, it is of no use to people who need it. Despite these challenges, there are several solutions that fight hunger by reducing food waste in Vietnam.
Individuals can be more conscious of their own food waste, reusing leftovers to greatly reduce the cost of their food budget and make food more affordable for vulnerable groups. Organizations like Starbucks can donate their own excess food directly to those in need to prevent wastage. Perhaps most efficient, though, is how organizations like VietHarvest not only directly donate food to people, but also advocate, mobilize and educate the local community on food waste in Vietnam.
– Jamie Paterson
Photo: Flickr