Sustainable forest development must create livelihoods for farmers

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan organized a meeting with units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and representatives from The Vos Ecosystem Co., Ltd. to discuss the multi-purpose development of forest ecosystems.

Dr. Le Hoang The, Director of The Vos Company, talked about his company's model for afforestation that complies with international standards and a model for growing red lingzhi mushrooms under the hybrid acacia canopy.

According to Mr. The, 5-year-old hybrid acacia forests generate an average yield of 150 million VND per hectare. On the other hand, 7-year-old hybrid acacia trees with larger logs can generate triple this income.

However, encouraging farmers to develop large timber forests for higher economic value can be a challenge due to their livelihood concerns while waiting for the trees to grow.

In order to address this issue, the company has started to experiment with red lingzhi mushrooms under the hybrid acacia canopy since 2018. Their pilot model has demonstrated that growing red lingzhi mushrooms under the hybrid acacia canopy can help farmers earn at least 200 million VND per hectare every year. This model has solved the problem of livelihood for forest growers as well as brought many economic and environmental benefits, contributing to the sustainable management and development of forests.

According to Mr. The, the five principles of regenerative agriculture are: maximize soil cover, minimize soil disturbance, maximize crop diversity, maintain roots year-round, and integrate livestock production. The afforestation model with emphasis on regenerative agriculture and investment in the FSC - Forest Management certification will maximize profit margin for forest growers as well as improve the soil and the environment.

After many years of experimentation, the combination model of growing hybrid acacia hybrid and red lingzhi mushroom with investment in the FSC - Forest Management certification is guaranteed to benefit  regenerative agriculture in Vietnam.

Participants of meeting agreed that the The Vos Company's model can solve multiple problems simultaneously. These issues include multi-purpose sustainable forest development, livelihood concerns for farmers, Vietnam's international commitments to achieving sustainable forest certifications, carbon credits, etc.

The development of a precious medicinal herb under the canopy of planted forests opens up a new potential direction. Forest growers can replicate the model for afforestation in addition to the model for growing medicinal herb. Consequently, farmers should be encouraged to grow large timber forests and utilize the forest area to improve production value and income.

Minister Le Minh Hoan commented on the story shared by the Vos Company: "We must broaden our vision to understand that the concept of sustainable forest development include socio-economic and environmental factors. Humans are responsible for both the preservation and destruction of forests. Therefore, sustainable forest development must account for the surrounding community."

According to the Minister, it is rare for forest research projects to address employment issues for local people, forest guards and forest rangers. The Minister advised interested parties to begin their deliberations with straightforward, realistic problems.

Additionally, it is necessary to persuade local governments of the advantages of sustainable forest development. “We must help localities understand that forest ecosystems bring both economic and social value. When an area of ​​forest land is converted, the livelihoods of its surrounding community is also affected greatly", emphasized Minister Le Minh Hoan.

Sustainable forest management certification is the requirement to develop the forestry sector in a modern, transparent and sustainable manner with regards to climate change and meeting green growth criteria.

FSC-certified forests are managed with strict environmental, social and economic standards through immutable principles. The principles are a closely linked cycle, from maintaining high conservation values ​​to community relations and employee rights.

To qualified for a FSC forest certification, forest growers must adhere to 10 principles with 70 criteria, 205 indicators as prescribed by the forest management council, whereas the principles of occupational safety and environmental protection are prioritized.