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Food loss in the Pangasius Catfish Value Chain of the Mekong River Basin

Food loss in the Pangasius Catfish Value Chain of the Mekong River Basin
Nguyễn Văn Kiền

Kiền Nguyễn

Võ Tất Thắng

Thắng Võ

The 'Food Loss in the Pangasius Catfish Value Chain of the Mekong River Basin' project aims to increase awareness of food loss and waste within the Pangasius industry of this region and to facilitate investments aimed at reducing it. The project addresses the entire spectrum from farmers and farms to consumers, proposing solutions to minimize loss and waste throughout the production and consumption processes. The intended outcomes of the project include improved livelihoods for small-scale pangasius producers, enhanced quality of life for the community, and environmental benefits through increased efficiency and productivity, along with reduced food loss and waste in the system.

National University of Laos

National University of Laos

University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

An Giang University

An Giang University

University of New England

University of New England

Health & Agricultural Policy Research Institute

Health & Agricultural Policy Research Institute

Food Loss in the Pangasius Catfish Value Chain of the Mekong River Basin-Project website


Photo by Dang Nguye, on 3 July 2025. The Vietnamese researchers were undertaking the stakeholder survey in the pangasius industry in An Giang province
Photo by Dang Nguye, on 3 July 2025. The Vietnamese researchers were undertaking the stakeholder survey in the pangasius industry in An Giang province


Recently we also signed the MoU with Vietnam Food on 16 June 2025, a leading private company in food waste transformation in HCM City, to engage their participation in transforming food waste of the pangasius industry through the project. We explore co-design for potential pilot interventions in 2025/2026.


The CEO of the Vietnam Food Company is interested in meeting Melanie in HCM city. If you can arrange to meet them, please advise me. Their headquarters is in District 1, HCM City.


Photos by Van Kien Nguye, from 18 to 24 Jan 2025, Dr Van Kien Nguyen and Mr Vo Van OC visited Laos team to co-undertaken the stakeholder survey of the value chain, gender research and foresight activities of pangasius aquaculture and fisheries in Vientiane capital and Champasak province of Laos PRD
Photos by Van Kien Nguye, from 18 to 24 Jan 2025, Dr Van Kien Nguyen and Mr Vo Van OC visited Laos team to co-undertaken the stakeholder survey of the value chain, gender research and foresight activities of pangasius aquaculture and fisheries in Vientiane capital and Champasak province of Laos PRD
Photo by Tu Trinh, on 15 SEP 2024, Minister Le Minh Hoan, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, invited Dr Van Kien Nguyen, project Director, to share the initial research findings to the senior Directors of Department of Fisheries Directorate; Crops and Plant Protection, Cooperative Economy, National Agriculture Extension centre, IPSARD, International Cooperation of MARD at the high level governmental stakeholder engagement about food loss and waste reduction in the pangasius value chain
Photo by Tu Trinh, on 15 SEP 2024, Minister Le Minh Hoan, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, invited Dr Van Kien Nguyen, project Director, to share the initial research findings to the senior Directors of Department of Fisheries Directorate; Crops and Plant Protection, Cooperative Economy, National Agriculture Extension centre, IPSARD, International Cooperation of MARD at the high level governmental stakeholder engagement about food loss and waste reduction in the pangasius value chain
Photo by Raskmey and Kim Chhin, from 26 August to 1 Sep 2024, Dr Van Kien Nguyen and Dr Silva Larson co-designed value chain mapping, foresight activities and gender research in Cambodia.
Photo by Raskmey and Kim Chhin, from 26 August to 1 Sep 2024, Dr Van Kien Nguyen and Dr Silva Larson co-designed value chain mapping, foresight activities and gender research in Cambodia.
Photo by Dang Nguyen: Mr Theo Simos from Adelaide University, Centre of Global Food and Resources, visited the project team in Vietnam, and the actors along the pangasius supply chain, advising the food loss measures in the pangasius industry on 19 May 2024.
Photo by Dang Nguyen: Mr Theo Simos from Adelaide University, Centre of Global Food and Resources, visited the project team in Vietnam, and the actors along the pangasius supply chain, advising the food loss measures in the pangasius industry on 19 May 2024.
Photo by Dang Nguyen, the researchers engaged private sector in the pangasius industry (Vinh Hoan Cooperation) in Dong Thap province on 23 Feb 2024. Local provincial government staff of Department of Fisheries involved in the process
Photo by Dang Nguyen, the researchers engaged private sector in the pangasius industry (Vinh Hoan Cooperation) in Dong Thap province on 23 Feb 2024. Local provincial government staff of Department of Fisheries involved in the process
Photo by Dang Nguyen, Dr Van Kien Nguyen, project Director delivered a training on value chain mapping and measuring food loss and waste for Vietnamese researchers on 23 Feb 2024 after the team undertook focus group discussions and in-depth interviews of the actors along the palngasius value chain
Photo by Dang Nguyen, Dr Van Kien Nguyen, project Director delivered a training on value chain mapping and measuring food loss and waste for Vietnamese researchers on 23 Feb 2024 after the team undertook focus group discussions and in-depth interviews of the actors along the palngasius value chain
Researchers practised mapping the value chains of pangasius for domestic and export market, in the Mekong Delta on 22 Feb 2024.
Researchers practised mapping the value chains of pangasius for domestic and export market, in the Mekong Delta on 22 Feb 2024.
Photo: by Dang Nguyen, researchers visited the pangasius processor in Dong Thap province on 21 Feb 2025
Photo: by Dang Nguyen, researchers visited the pangasius processor in Dong Thap province on 21 Feb 2025
Photo by Dang Nguyen, on 20 Feb 2024 – in-depth interviews with pangasius farmers and processors at the farm in Vinh Thanh Trung, Chau Phu, An Giang
Photo by Dang Nguyen, on 20 Feb 2024 – in-depth interviews with pangasius farmers and processors at the farm in Vinh Thanh Trung, Chau Phu, An Giang

Related information

  1. nongnghiep.vn: Aciar staff and researchers visited catfish processor in the Mekong Delta in August 2023: Hình ảnh nhà máy chế biến cá tra cung cấp sản phẩm tới hơn 100 quốc gia

  2. Australian Embassy in Vietnam posted the project news (3) Facebook 

  3. hapri.org: WORKSHOP: "FOOD LOSS IN THE CATFISH (PANGASIUS)VALUE CHAIN OF THE MEKONG RIVER BASIN''

  4. hapri.org: International Conference at On "Food Loss In The Pangasius Catfish Value Chain" Project

  5. ueh.edu.vn: International Conference initiating the research project “Food loss in the Pangasius Catfish Value Chain of the Mekong River Basin”

  6. ueh.edu.vn: Hội thảo quốc tế khởi động dự án nghiên cứu “Thất thoát thực phẩm trong chuỗi giá trị cá da trơn (cá tra) ở lưu vực sông Mekong”

  7. vneconomy.vn: Giảm thất thoát, lãng phí thực phẩm ngành cá tra ở sông Mekong - Nhịp sống kinh tế Việt Nam & Thế giới

  8. nhandan.vn: Khởi động dự án thất thoát thực phẩm trong chuỗi giá trị cá da trơn lưu vực sông Mekong

  9. The Nong Nghiep Televsion news: Giải quyết thất thoát thực phẩm chuỗi giá trị cá tra ở lưu vực sông Mekong

  10. HTV Televsion news about the project: DỰ ÁN NGHIÊN CỨU "THẤT THOÁT THỰC PHẨM TRONG CHUỖI GIÁ TRỊ CÁ DA TRƠN Ở LƯU VỰC SÔNG MEKONG"

  11. vov.gov.vn: Australia hỗ trợ giảm thất thoát, lãng phí thực phẩm cho ngành cá tra ở lưu vực sông Mekong (04/09/2023)

12.  giaoduc.edu.vn: Giảm thất thoát thực phẩm trong chuỗi giá trị cá da trơn

13.  tapchinongnghiep.vn: Giảm thất thoát thực phẩm trong chuỗi giá trị cá tra ở lưu vực sông Mekong - Tạp chí Nông nghiệp và Phát triển Nông thôn

14.  tapchinongnghiep.vn: Media release of the project on the Australian Embassy Website in Vietnam

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