Wildlife conservation - a strong commitment of Vietnam

Through the scheme “Protecting endangered wildlife”, during the 10^th to 12^th of March 2023 in Buon Ma Thuot city (Dak Lak province), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organized an information exhibition and bicycle parade at the 8th Buon Me Thuot Coffee Festival.

The event was co-organized by the Management Board for Forestry Projects (MBFP), the Department of International Cooperation (MARD), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), TRAFFIC, and the Fatherland Front Committee of Dak Lak province.

This communication activity's aim was to raise the community’s awareness about wildlife protection and to reduce the consumption demand for illegal products, leading to the ultimate goal of successfully building "a Buon Ma Thuot city that says no to illegal wildlife products”.

Visiting the exhibition booths of the project at the Buon Ma Thuot Habitat Exhibition Center on March 12, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said that each Vietnamese should show their responsibility and civilized behavior in order to protect wildlife and conserve biodiversity.

The 8th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival with the largest scale ever has attracted the participation of large businesses, press agencies and a large number of visitors.

At the project's exhibition booths, visitors could listen to interesting information about endangered wildlife species, the importance of wildlife and the interconnection between humans, animals and the ecological environment through vibrant interactive games.

From March 11 to 12, a bicycle parade is also held in order to encourage people and the community to join hands to stop wildlife consumption.

Twice a day in the morning and afternoon, the bicycle parade consisted of young people in Buon Ma Thuot city, together with officers of the Fatherland Front Committee of Dak Lak province and Forest Rangers of Hanoi and Dak Lak started from the center of Buon Ma Thuot, cycled through the main streets of the city with banners calling for wildlife protection. This attracted much attention from visitors and the public.

Buon Ma Thuot city is developing towards sustainable utilization of natural resources and environmental protection by encouraging the community not to use or trade illegal wildlife products.

The above activities will contribute to changing the communities’ behavior in protecting wildlife, thereby taking practical actions in the “Buon Ma Thuot City says NO to products from illegal wildlife” campaign.