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Efforts to Reduce Food Waste: A Student’s Reflection on Working with Foodbank Vietnam 

By Michaela Greenlee, FLPC Student.

As a Master’s student in the Global Health and Population department at Harvard Chan School of Public Health, I was drawn to the Food Law and Policy Clinic (FLPC) because of my research interests in food insecurity, health equity and food loss/waste. The Clinic’s focus on tackling food loss/waste on an international scale was especially intriguing to me, since I hope to pursue a career in global healthcare consulting to support developing countries in translating research into impactful health and food sustainability programs/interventions.

During the Fall 2024 semester, I worked with the Clinic on the Atlas Project providing support to our new partner in Poland by conducting research on the state of food insecurity in Poland, as well as existing policies related to date labeling, government grants/incentives and food safety guidelines. In January 2025, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to visit our partner, Foodbank Vietnam, and learn more about their efforts to reduce food waste and food insecurity.

In Vietnam, we met with our partner, Foodbank Vietnam, to discuss their existing projects and understand how we can best assist them moving forward. I was excited to hear about the comprehensive initiatives that they have already implemented, such as Food Share (a program that uses technology to promote food sharing and prevent wastage) and Farm to Food Bank (a program that works directly with farmers all over Vietnam to create a pipeline for excess food from farms to underprivileged people). We had a thoughtful discussion about how we can help with advancing their “Food Edu” educational campaign series to raise community awareness about combating food waste. For instance, our partner discussed the importance of developing age-appropriate workshops and colorful infographics to keep young students engaged. Another great idea that came up in our discussion was encouraging university-level students to volunteer for the Foodbank network and possibly conduct food policy research for their theses.

The next day, the Clinic and I visited an orphanage outside Ho Chi Minh City to watch the children’s beautiful dancing performances and help put together lunch to celebrate Tết, which is a celebration of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. For lunch, we prepared some watermelon and sliced traditional bánh tét (sticky rice cake wrapped with banana leaves and filled with mung beans and pork in a cylindrical shape). It was inspiring to see the community come together and create a delicious dish to be served to the kids. I had a lot of fun talking to some of the kids who spoke English and enjoyed learning more about their interests!

A few days later, we traveled a bit up north to the Khánh Hòa province where we visited the Embassy Language Center, which specializes in foreign language training for students of all ages. It was heartwarming to watch the children perform a variety of different activities, including aerobics, singing, and dancing. They are all so talented! Later, we helped to make traditional bánh chưng (similar to bánh tét, but the shape is square) to be delivered to families in the mountain region. After the first 2-3 tries, and with the great help from the students and the Principal of the Center, I slowly mastered the art of creating the bánh chưng and tying it up like a present.

In between our work meetings, we found some time to explore Ho Chi Minh City and experience the unique culture it had to offer. For instance, we visited the War Remnants Museum and learned more about the war crimes inflicted on the Vietnamese people and efforts to preserve global peace and solidarity across nations. It was interesting to listen to the audio guide and read about the history behind such a divisive conflict. Additionally, we got to taste some delicious quintessential Vietnamese dishes during our trip, including banh mi (a Vietnamese baguette), pho, bánh xèo (crispy Vietnamese rice pancakes), and various coffees (such as egg coffee, salt coffee and coconut coffee).

I thoroughly appreciate the generous support received from Harvard Law School and the FLPC in funding this amazing trip. I’m very grateful to Foodbank Vietnam for hosting us and giving us an invaluable opportunity to experience the charming Vietnamese culture and learn from their impressive food waste/loss and food insecurity reduction efforts. I’m looking forward to our next steps in supporting Foodbank Vietnam and very much hope to visit our partner again in the near future.

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