This guidance memo analyzes pork value chains in Northern Vietnam, focusing on small-scale production by ethnic minority women. It highlights how industrial pork systems negatively impact smallholders by lowering prices, increasing dependency on external inputs, and eroding indigenous knowledge. Despite these challenges, small-scale systems provide important benefits, including biodiversity conservation, improved animal welfare, and diversified livelihoods. The study emphasizes the need to strengthen market linkages with urban consumers, reduce production costs through local resources, and enhance value addition through processing and branding. Capacity building, especially in digital marketing and cooperative development, is also recommended. Furthermore, African Swine Fever has severely disrupted the sector, causing economic losses and increasing vulnerability among rural communities. The memo concludes that targeted support is essential to sustain smallholder pork production and promote resilient, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable food systems in the region.
