Solutions to improve forest economic efficiency in Tuong Duong

(Baonghean) - Nghe An Newspaper had a dialogue with comrade Pham Trong Hoang - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of Tuong Duong District Party Committee on the orientation of forest economic development in the area.

PV: Could you please explain how important the forest economy is in the overall economic structure of the district?

Comrade Pham Trong Hoang: Tuong Duong is a mountainous district with a natural area of ​​over 280,740 ha, of which forestry land accounts for nearly 250,000 ha (planned area of ​​special-use forest 39,530.8 ha, protective forest 93,546.8 ha, production forest 115,999.3 ha). Most of the natural area is hills and mountains with steep slopes; the area of ​​stable production fields for 2 crops of the whole district is only about 650 ha.

Tuong Duong district leaders discussed with Mr. Kha Van Binh, Tan Hop village (Tam Thai) a typical example of afforestation combined with crop cultivation for high economic efficiency.

From such characteristics and natural conditions, over the years, especially in recent terms, the district has determined that developing the forest economy and livestock farming is a key, sustainable and long-term development direction of the locality. In the previous term, Tuong Duong issued Resolution No. 02-NQ/HU on developing forest planting and livestock farming in the period of 2010-2015. In this term, in the action program to implement the Resolution, the Tuong Duong District Party Committee continues to issue a Project on developing forest planting.

Currently, if looking at the total annual production value of the district, the agricultural, forestry and forest economy account for a small proportion, but in reality, people's income and life mainly depend on this production area. Overall, the development of the forest economy not only makes an important contribution to the economic structure but also has a great impact on society, the environment and a number of other areas.

Firstly, this is a development direction that takes advantage of natural advantages and strengths, and is also a fundamental, sustainable and long-term development direction; contributing to increasing people's income, reducing poverty sustainably, and even many households can become rich from developing the forest economy or combining the forest economy with livestock and some other industries.

Second, developing the forest economy will create many stable jobs for households and service workers in afforestation, care, protection, exploitation of raw materials forests, and civil timber, contributing to increasing income and stabilizing people's lives (according to a recent survey, the district has 74.8% of the labor force in the agricultural and forestry sector; about 2,300 people are unemployed and more than 10,000 workers are underemployed). At the same time, it also contributes to reducing pressing issues in the area such as: illegal migration, illegal exploitation of minerals and forest products, social evils, drug abuse, etc.

Tuong Duong's resolution on forest development combined with livestock farming quickly comes into life

Third, developing the forest economy, exploiting and effectively using forest land will actively contribute to increasing the coverage (from 62.6% in 2015 to 75% by 2020 according to Resolution of the XXVI Congress of the District Party Committee), protecting the environment and landscape; minimizing negative impacts on natural forests. Contributing to increasing the ability to supply water to rivers, streams and dams, preventing erosion, soil leaching, providing shade for seedlings, stabilizing the ecological environment of the sub-climate region.

PV: To achieve the goal set for the 2016 - 2020 period of planting 4,000 hectares of forest, what solutions, mechanisms and policies will Tuong Duong concretize, comrade?

Comrade Pham Trong Hoang: Currently, the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee is directing the development of a forest planting project for the period 2016 - 2020. According to the work program, at the end of March 2016, the District Party Executive Committee will discuss and approve the project, determine specific objectives, solutions, mechanisms and policies. It will focus on the following tasks and solutions:

- Focus on propaganda and mobilization so that each person can see the meaning and effect of forest economic development on economic, social and environmental development in general and on income improvement and economic development of households in particular. From there, actively participate in afforestation and forest economic development according to the planning and orientation of the district.

- Organize well forestry extension activities, training on planting techniques, caring for and protecting planted forests, protecting and exploiting forest resources reasonably and in accordance with the law. Organize seminars and visit demonstration models suitable for the locality to learn from experience. Help forest planting participants grasp technical processes and implement them effectively.

- Synchronously implement policies on capital support for afforestation and forest economic development, including: capital from state budget programs, preferential loans, district budget capital; capital from forest owners, households and other legal capital sources.

And some other policies, such as land policy (speeding up land allocation); policy on supporting irrigation development; building raw material road systems; supporting product consumption...

The mangrove forest in Tuong Duong has become an attractive tourist destination in the West.

PV: Learn from the previous term on the forest planting work in the area such as difficulties in purchasing and consuming products. Regarding this issue, has Tuong Duong considered and calculated the consumption market, crop structure and raw material area infrastructure, comrade?

Comrade Pham Trong Hoang: Regarding the crop structure, in the Resolution of the District Party Congress and the overall socio-economic planning as well as the sectoral planning for the period of 2015 - 2020, it has been determined to develop key crops suitable for the soil and climate in Tuong Duong and the market with great demand, such as: meters, xoan, lat hoa, acacia, rattan and medicinal plants. Based on the area planted over the past years, review the remaining land area, continue to plan to develop reasonably the raw material crops in each area. Depending on the area, it is possible to plant a single species or mix species and develop some other products under the canopy to increase efficiency per unit area.

- Regarding the infrastructure of raw material areas, the most important thing is to develop the transportation system. Currently, the advantage is that the main transportation system has been connected to the districts in the area and the communes. The communes in the South and Southwest of the district have been easily connected to National Highway 7, the communes in the Northeast have been easily connected to Quy Hop and Nghia Dan districts via Highway 48C, the communes in the North (upper region) have been easily connected to Que Phong district via Tay Nghe An road. The branch road system to the raw material areas continues to be implemented step by step in conjunction with the development of the rural transportation system. The electricity and irrigation systems will also be implemented in phases in conjunction with the development of raw material areas.

- Regarding the consumption market, we know that currently in Nghe An province, there are a number of factories processing MDF wood and fiberboard, pulp and clean coal factories, with a huge demand for wood materials from planted forests. In addition, some types of planted forest wood such as: meters, xoan, lat hoa or forest products such as rattan,... many businesses, organizations and individuals have a regular need to purchase to serve the purposes of civil construction, interior decoration, and handicrafts. Therefore, it can be said that at this time, there is no need to worry about the output of planted forest products. However, in the project, we will pay special attention to solutions to solve the output of products from the forest economy, especially proactively contacting and making commitments to businesses on the long-term and sustainable consumption of products from planted forests, including seeking technical advice and initial capital support from businesses for the development of the forest economy.

Thus, with the project being built on the basis of potential conditions, advantages and review, analysis of actual market needs, with appropriate mechanisms and policies, encouraging people to develop forest economy, it is believed that the project of planting raw material forests will create a step of sustainable economic development in Tuong Duong district.

PV: Thank you comrade!

Huu Nghia(Perform)