Hanoi – Southeast Asian cities are facing one of the most pressing challenges for the future of younger generations: child malnutrition. In this context, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) took part in the roundtable “School Meals as Food Policy Catalysts in ASEAN Cities”, held as part of EXPO Osaka 2025 in Japan at the Italian Pavillon. The event was organized by the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) and featured high-level institutional representatives, including Anna Scavuzzo, Deputy Mayor of Milan; Toru Takahashi, Deputy Mayor of Osaka; Elena Sgarbi, Deputy Commissioner for Italy at EXPO; as well as delegates from MUFPP and Italian institutions.
A Project to Fight Malnutrition and Promote Inclusion
The core of the roundtable was the project “Spreading Experiences and Knowledge on School Meals Programmes in ASEAN Cities”, promoted by the Municipality of Milan in collaboration with ASEAN and concluded earlier this year. Thanks to the AICS-MUFPP agreement, the AICS Hanoi Office played a key role in engaging Vietnamese cities in the programme. Over three years, the project reached 29 cities across 8 ASEAN countries, aiming to combat malnutrition, which still affects 1 in 10 children in the region. At the same time, it demonstrated how school meals can act as catalysts for more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban policies, strengthening the connection between food, education, social inclusion, and local economic development.
AICS Commitment: Cooperation and Sustainability
In his video message, AICS Director Marco Riccardo Rusconi emphasized the strategic relevance of the initiative, highlighting how the issue of healthy and sustainable school meals goes beyond nutrition and becomes a vital link between education and food, social inclusion and local economies – always with a view to improving the well-being of future generations.
This message was echoed by Luca Sartorelli, AICS Hanoi, who presented upcoming AICS initiatives in the ASEAN region, including:
- The “3S” programme, focused on rural development and food security.
- The “COOPMEC” project, aimed at promoting sustainable practices in fisheries and aquaculture.
- A new delegated cooperation initiative in Vietnam, currently under formulation, focusing on circular economy in agriculture.
Looking Ahead
AICS’s participation in EXPO Osaka 2025 was a valuable opportunity to share experiences, achievements, and best practices. Most importantly, it reaffirmed the role of Italian actors as active partners and innovators in promoting healthier and more sustainable urban food systems, capable of delivering tangible benefits for local communities and the environment.
