Toward a Restricted Tolerance of Street Vending of Food in Hanoi Districts: The Role of Stakeholder Dialogue

• Date: 01 March 2016
• Published date: 01 March 2016
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18278/wfp.2.2.3.1.5

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World Food Policy - Volume 2 Issue 2/Volume 3 Issue 1, Fall 2015/Spring 2016

Introduction

During the past 20 years, the food

sector in Vietnam has undergone

major changes. e reforms

implemented in the framework of the

doi moi, or “renovation” policy, have

been reected in spectacular economic

growth, particularly in cities. In 2013,

the growth rate of the economy was 5%,

the urbanization growth rate 3%, and the

urbanization rate 33%, contrasting with

25% in 2002. Economic and demographic

changes have caused an increase in the

demand for more diverse and better

quality produce, especially in urban areas.

e food distribution sector has adapted

to these changes and has now taken on

a diversity of forms. In Hanoi, a person

can purchase foodstus from a variety

of sources ranging from street vendors

to air-conditioned hypermarkets, with

shops and xed market stalls in between

(Figuié and Moustier 2009; Mergenthaler,

Nguyen i Tan LocA & Paule MoustierB

Toward a Restricted Tolerance of Street Vending of Food

in Hanoi Districts: e Role of Stakeholder Dialogue

A Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute, Trau Quy, Hanoi, Vietnam.

B Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CI-

RAD), UMR MOISA, France.

In Vietnam, fruit and vegetable marketing is characterized by a diversity of

distribution chains, including formal markets, street vendors, shops, and

supermarkets. e government is promoting the expansion of supermarket

distribution and plans to eliminate all informal trade on the grounds of

modernization. e article investigates how the activities of street vendors can

be successfully integrated in the city, using a stakeholder dialogue approach.

Researchers appraised the role of street vendors in food distribution and

employment and documented a successful street vending model. Stakeholder

meetings were held to discuss the integration of street vending in Dong Da District.

A key result is the demonstration and recognition by city and district ocials of

the dominant role of street vending in food distribution and employment of the

poor. Workshops helped the Hanoi city and district authorities agree to tolerate

street vendors in selected areas, with the setting of jointly developed commitments.

Keywords: Street vendors, Vietnam, food distribution, stakeholder dialogue,

informal markets

doi: 10.18278/wfp.2.2.3.1.5