Background
“The epistemological assumptions, mental models, and disciplinary paradigms underpinning the narratives of different actors and stakeholders regarding food systems sustainability can differ dramatically” (Béné et al., 2019). Currently, little is known regarding the drivers of food systems narratives of private sector actors in food systems in developing countries. A key research gap is to survey and identify the “food systems sustainability” narratives of the private sector actors including their perception of their position, role, opportunities, and constraints in food systems for improving diets and addressing sustainability challenges. The roles and responsibilities of the different actors both formal and informal, public and private are an important part of the discussion around food systems. “Very little is known, however, on how food systems work at different levels and only partial knowledge is available to help decision-makers influence the system and drive it towards more sustainable and higher diet quality outcomes” (Béné et al., 2019).
The private sector is not just large transnational companies, it involves a huge range of actors from small farmers and shopkeepers to wet market traders and large corporations, all of whom have an important role of delivery within the food system. In a rapidly developing country such as Vietnam, it is important to understand the perceptions of these actors and what they understand by food system sustainability, especially the wet market traders given their large scale presence in the retail sector.
The overall research goal, therefore, is to improve the understanding of food system narratives of 25-35 private sector actors (food suppliers/retailers) in Vietnam using key informant interviews.