Khon Kaen, Thailand — The Mekong Institute (MI) successfully organized the Mekong CREATES Regional Training on Food Systems Thinking for Safer and Resilient Value Chains on December 15-19, 2025, bringing together 25 government officials, researchers, and development practitioners from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Viet Nam (CLMV). 

The five-day regional training equipped participants with practical tools and perspectives to apply food systems thinking in tackling climate risks, food safety challenges, and coordination gaps across agrifood value chains in the Mekong subregion. 

Moving Beyond Silos: A Systems Approach to Agrifood Transformation 

Opening the training, MI Executive Director Suriyan Vichitlekarn underscored the urgency of moving beyond fragmented approaches to agricultural development. 

“Agriculture does not operate in isolation,” he noted. “Food safety, climate resilience, trade, and livelihoods are deeply interconnected. Food systems thinking helps us understand these linkages and design interventions that allow the agricultural sector to function better, especially for smallholder farmers.” 

He also highlighted the Mekong subregion’s long-standing experience in cross-border cooperation. Improved regional connectivity has strengthened the production, trade, and consumption of food products. Applying food systems thinking, he said, offers a practical framework to build on these achievements and ensure agrifood value chains remains inclusive, adaptive, and resilient in the face of climate change. 

Learning Across Sectors, Disciplines and Contexts 

Participants emphasized how the training broadened their understanding of food systems as interconnected themes shaped by governance, health, environment, culture, and markets. 

“My role is closely linked to the food system through governance and climate change mitigation in agroforestry,” said Yun Him, Executive Director of the Coalition for Integrity and Social Accountability (CISA), Cambodia. “One of the training’s standout components was food system stakeholder mapping. It helps organizations plan policy advocacy and future projects more strategically by understanding power dynamics and stakeholder interests.”  

Despite joining remotely, Yun noted that the training remained highly interactive and effective, with strong integration of gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) perspectives alongside field-based case studies. 

From Myanmar, Kyaw Htwe, Deputy Program Manager (Nutrition) at Plan International, reflected on how the training deepened their understanding of root causes and long-term solutions. 

“Systems thinking helped me move beyond isolated interventions,” Kyaw shared. “It showed how production, markets, nutrition, climate, and governance are interconnected. “This approach is essential for designing inclusive and sustainable solutions that improve food security, nutrition outcomes, and livelihoods over time.” 

Building Collaboration and Evidence for Action 

From Lao PDR, Kethmany Ratsavong, a researcher at the Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute, also emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based decision-making. 

“What stood out to me most was how food systems require multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure no one is left behind,” she said. “Food systems are closely connected to nutrition and public health, and this training reinforced the need to look at the whole system when designing solutions.” 

Others pointed to the role of technology in operationalizing systems thinking. 

“Systems thinking helped me better understand how government, industries, farmers, and consumers are connected,” said Duong Hong Ngoc of GS1 Vietnam. “Digital traceability and data standards, can strengthen collaboration and make food systems more transparent and trustworthy.” 

From Learning to Practice 

Closing the training, Orn-uma Polpanich, Director of MI’s Agricultural Development and Commercialization Department, praised participants’ strong engagement of participants and the quality of the Action Plans developed during the training. 

“Food systems thinking can seem broad, but the participants showed how it can be applied in very practical and meaningful ways within their own contexts,” she said. “The level of participation and the depth of the Action Plan reflect a strong commitment to turning learning into action.” 

The training was organized under the Mekong CREATES Project, with support from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). 

About Mekong CREATES  

Mekong CREATES (Mekong Capacity-Building for Resilient and Enhanced Agricultural Technologies and Food Systems) is a regional initiative implemented by the Mekong Institute to promote safe, inclusive, and climate-resilient agrifood systems. The project focuses on strengthening regional cooperation, building institutional and technical capacity, and advancing practical solutions to address food-safety risks linked to climate change while improving livelihoods across the Mekong Subregion.