Nếp Mới #12: Restoring our food system - Citizens, producers and the power of consumer cooperatives

NẾP MỚI #12: RESTORING OUR FOOD SYSTEM - CITIZENS, PRODUCERS AND THE POWER OF CONSUMER COOPERATIVES

Time: 19:00, Monday 23 March 2026

Format: Zoom

Language: English (with Vietnamese interpretation)

[This event is reserved for Vcil Community Members]

ABOUT:

“Where does the food on our table really come from?”

In the late 1960s, a small group of housewives in Japan began to worry about the safety of the milk their children were drinking. Instead of waiting for companies or the government to solve the problem, they decided to act together. They contacted farmers, organised collective purchasing and created a system in which consumers and producers could build trust with each other directly.

From that small beginning, the Seikatsu Consumer Cooperative was born.

Over the decades, the initiative has grown into a nationwide network of more than 400,000 members. More importantly, it has become a living example of something powerful: ordinary people can reshape the economy when they organise together. In the Seikatsu movement, people are not merely consumers: they are co-creators of the food system, partners of farmers and active participants in shaping their community.

For many people in Vietnam today, food safety, environmental protection and the future of the food system are increasingly urgent. We worry about pesticides, about where our food comes from and about how farmers can survive in a changing economy. Yet we often feel these problems are too big for an individual to influence.

The Seikatsu story invites us to look again.

What if citizens, communities and producers could work together to build a food system that is more transparent, more accountable and better able to sustain life? What cultural values, community practices and long-term commitments could make such a model possible?

In this month's Nếp Mới, we explore the inspiring journey of the Seikatsu Consumer Cooperative and reflect on the lessons it holds for Vietnam and our community. Through storytelling, dialogue and collective reflection, we open a space to imagine how everyday actions, when connected by trust and cooperation, can gradually transform our systems of production.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Ryoko Shimizu - International coordinator & researcher at Seikatsu Club

ABOUT NẾP MỚI

Inspired by the Vietnamese word “Nếp”, which refers to the ingrained patterns of culture, habit and daily life, Vcil Community launched Nếp Mới to create a space that nurtures new ways of living: ways that prioritise lasting well-being and the regeneration of true wealth. It is a community space designed to help people recognise and break out of outdated patterns, learn from collective wisdom and reimagine how we live, connect and learn.

Each month, community members dive into a different theme. Nếp Mới invites scholars, experts and practitioners to share insights on essential topics that matter to our lives. Participants have the chance to join the dialogue, deepen their understanding, find solutions to personal or collective problems, or begin meaningful work.

More than a conversation, Nếp Mới is a place to foster reflection, encourage collaboration and provide practical tools for the whole community on the way to a regenerative and flourishing future.

CONTACT

- Fanpage: Vcil Community

- Phone/WhatsApp/Zalo: 0836243541 (Huy)

- Email: vcil.group@gmail.com