Forest development planning must secure people’s livelihood

The meeting received the participation of Mr. Phan Dinh Trac, Politburo member, Secretary of Central Party Committee, Head of the Central Committee for Internal Affairs; Mr. Tran Dinh Van, Permanent Deputy Secretary, Head of Lam Dong province National Assembly Delegation; Mr. Tran Van Hiep, Chairman of Lam Dong People's Committee.

The delegates of Lam Dong province raised issues at the meeting about difficulties and problems related to planning, mechanisms and policies of forest protection, economic development as well as sustainable development of silkworm husbandry.

Specialized agencies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) had in turn answered the concerns of the delegates. A number of issues need to be surveyed in practice to have a foundation for providing orientations and solutions. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development would coordinate with Lam Dong to implement according plans as soon as possible.

Mr. Phan Dinh Trac, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Committee for Internal Affairs said, “The most important thing when promulgating guidelines and policies is to be close to reality and resolve the matters set out by reality. The highest goal of orientations and policies is to create favorable conditions and environment for sustainable development. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as well as Lam Dong province need to conduct research thoroughly. Any content that is no longer relevant or close to reality must be quickly adjusted and revised.”

Regarding forest protection and development work, Mr. Phan Dinh Trac noted that the top priorities include forest planting, tending and protection. But the progress and innovation must in a way help people in the forest area stabilize their living conditions, develop the economy, and earn wealth from the forest.

On the MARD’s part, Minister Le Minh Hoan said, “Specialized agencies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will accompany Lam Dong to solve difficulties and obstacles in forestry planning and development in the province as soon as possible.”

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has strongly implemented many guidelines and policies at present to encourage people to aim for economic development under forest canopy such as planting herbs, raising livestock, and combining afforestation with tourism while applying the concept of "Forest development - Multiple benefits, multiple goals”.

As for matters of forest protection, Minister Le Minh Hoan said that when guidelines and policies helped create sustainable livelihoods for the people, Lam Dong would never lose the forest but instead become its best protector.

“Every transformation will come with a price, so Lam Dong province in particular and other localities in general must carefully consider the situation, be flexible and creative in terms of future actions towards sustainable values, having people as the center of the process. The current economic thinking is not only about growth indicators but also how many jobs must be created and how well we can improve people’s lives, " said Minister Le Minh Hoan.

Based on this statement, Minister Le Minh Hoan requested the Administration of Forestry and relevant agencies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to organize a working delegation to Lam Dong province in haste, grasp the difficulties and problems in real-time and discuss solutions together with the localities.

According to the Head of the Lam Dong National Assembly Delegation, Tran Dinh Van, the program of direct work between the two sides aims to remove difficulties that Lam Dong is facing in the process of changing the purpose of forest land use to other purposes (according to article 20 of the Law on Forestry) to implement projects related to forest land use, management and protection, mechanisms and policies for forest protection forces, forest environment rental for ecotourism, resort, entertainment businesses and a number of other issues to promote socio-economic development in Lam Dong province.