Taking people at the center of forest-based economy

Addressing the conference on forest-based economy in Northern Midland and Mountains  taking place in Lai Chau on the morning of December 3, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development  (MARD) Le Minh Hoan said the forest area of the region was estimated at 5.7 million hectares making up for 39.6% of the national forest area of which the area of natural forest was nearly 4 million hectares, accounting for 38.6% of the nation’s natural forest coverage and the area covered by planted forests was approximately 1.8 million hectares or 40.8% of the national planted forest area. Forest coverage rate in Northern Midland and Mountains reached 52.6% by 2020 above the national average rate of 42.01%. Therefore developing economy based on forests was identified as a key priority of  the region’s agricultural sector.

 “Forests are not only woods, hydro power but also the enthusiasm of the ethnic minority groups. If we adopted this approach earlier we could stop immigration,’ said Minister Le Minh Hoan.

According to the Commander of the agricultural sector, forest exploitation in general and forest-based economy in particular needs a multi-value approach. He added it is the values of forest that seemed to be separate can be integrated and mutually supportive to create forest-based economy.

In the context of the mindset shift from agricultural production to agricultural economy, Minister Le Minh Hoan urged the forestry industry to be a part of the flow. He advocated the avoidance of single value-based forest exploitation to reduce the risk of overexploitation and the depletion of forest resources. The leader of the agricultural sector urged the relevant agencies to develop forestry sector based on three pillars including indigenous resources – national elite – innovations”

Through the conference the leaders of the MARD would like to listen to thoughts and opinions from local authorities, enterprises and associations to develop multi-purpose forests and make plans before submit the scheme to the Government.

Playing the leading role in directing enterprises to create a sustainable investment ecosystem, the MARD wanted to take people at the center of the development of forest-based economy and the formation of value chains and linkages, Minister Le Minh Hoan said.

The MARD has come up with two short-term solutions including the development of mechanisms and policies for hand-made products created under forest canopies and the connection with enthusiastic and powerful investors to awaken potentials in the Northern mountainous provinces.

Attending the conference there were Keijo Ensino Norvanto, Ambassador of Finland to Vietnam and the Representative of Jica. The conference also had the presence of the representatives from several Central agencies, leaders of Vietnam Farmers’ Union and Vietnam Cooperatives Alliance together with representatives from trade associations, enterprises, experts, scientists as well as leaders of the provinces of Dien Bien, Son La, Yen Bai and Lao Cai.

At the conference, representatives from Research and Development Institute of Forestry, the Department of Economic Cooperation and Rural Development and Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences as well as representatives from the provinces of Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Sơn La and Bac Kan made presentations of forest-based economy. They all agreed that it’s necessary to develop basic and sustainable policies for full exploitation of economic potentials of forest resources.

Deputy Minister of the MARD Phung Duc Tien also pointed out some existing problems in the development of forest-based economy. For examples: some inadequacies in payment for forest environment services in Vietnam; the quality of forests not meeting the requirements of wood production and processing; low added values to forest products; lack of linkages in the production, processing and consumption of forest products, small-scale medicinal plant cultivation under forest canopies, eco-tourism not matching forest potentials.

Apart from existing problems the leader of the MARD’s acknowledged some achieved results in the development of forestry economy in Northern Midlands and Mountains, particularly the establishment of wood material growing areas in Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Quang Ninh and the formation of cinnamon growing areas in Yen Bai, Lao Cai or the medicinal plant growing areas in Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Quang Ninh and Lai Chau.

The Deputy Minister of the MARD also asked the provinces to develop eco-tourism of forests, creating the zero-carbon income for forest owners.

On the behalf of the host of the conference, Giang Pao My , Secretary of Lai Chau provincial Party Committee said the province identified sustainable development of forest-based economy was an important task. The province’s competent agencies have boosted the development of forest-based economy through the formation of large-scale commodity producing areas focusing on valuable trees and herbal plants.

Through the conference, the Secretary of Lai Chau provincial Party Committee vowed to conduct the duties of promoting forest conservation, developing forest-based economy, enhancing social-economic development combined with national defense and security. The province set a goal of improving the material and spiritual life of ethnic minority people, contributing to turning Northern Midlands and Mountains into a green and sustainable region.