The effectiveness of 'stimulating demand' for forestry in Tuong Duong.

(Baonghean) - With 1,470 hectares of new forest planted in 2016, reaching 147% of the plan, Tuong Duong district has gained new momentum and motivation in its determination to achieve the goal of planting 4,700 hectares as set out in the forest planting project according to the objectives of the District Party Congress for the 2015-2020 term. Comrade Nguyen Van Hai - Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee and Chairman of the District People's Committee - had an exchange with Nghe An newspaper on this issue.

PV:Could you please explain, based on what advantageous conditions, that Tuong Duong district has clearly identified that only by promoting the development of the forest economy and forestry is the optimal solution to help the locality escape poverty sustainably and rise to prosperity?

Comrade Nguyen Van Hai:Tuong Duong District has a natural area of ​​281,129.7 hectares, accounting for 17% of the province's area. Of this, 253,068.8 hectares are forest land, representing 90% of the natural land area. The area of ​​forest land within the forest land planning is 218,561.6 hectares. This includes over 250,000 hectares of forest land, with 115,000 hectares of production forest, 93,500 hectares of protection forest, and 39,500 hectares of special-use forest. The current forest cover rate is 80.3%.

A working session was held between leaders and departments of Tuong Duong district and Thang Nam Forestry Joint Stock Company regarding the development of raw material forests in the area.

The people of Tuong Duong have a tradition of afforestation and forest-based economic development. In the area, more and more models of enriching planted forests and improving the cultivation of income-generating trees under the forest canopy are emerging, contributing positively to the protection and development of forest resources. The agricultural and forestry extension staff, from the district to the grassroots level, are basically sufficient in number and their quality is constantly improving, providing them with the capacity to guide and transfer new scientific and technical knowledge on afforestation, forest care, and protection to the people.

In line with the major orientations of the Tuong Duong District Party Congress in recent terms, which have identified the forest economy as extremely important to the district, resolutions and projects have been issued to protect and develop the forest economy. Currently, there are large-scale, high-tech forestry processing projects in the province, investing in the systematic development of raw material areas...

With these advantages, we have determined that only by promoting the development of the forest economy and forestry is the optimal solution to help the locality escape poverty sustainably and rise to prosperity.

PV:Comrade! The strengths and potential of Tuong Duong in terms of forest land and forest economy are clear. So, to realize and effectively exploit these potentials and strengths, what policies and solutions has the district implemented in recent Party congresses?

Comrade Nguyen Van Hai:During the 2015-2020 term, the District Party Congress continued to identify afforestation and the development of livestock and aquaculture as key tasks in economic development. To concretize the Resolution of the 2015-2020 Congress on forest economic development, Tuong Duong district issued a reforestation plan for the 2016-2020 period with the goal of planting 4,700 hectares of new production forest.

Accordingly, the district has also issued several support mechanisms and policies for local people, such as support for design, fertilizer, and seedlings for forest planters from the district budget. These "stimulus" mechanisms have revived and restored the forest planting movement in Tuong Duong district.

In 2016, the first year of the project, with a budget of over 2 billion VND to support the planting of 1,000 hectares, Tuong Duong district achieved 1,470 hectares, reaching 147% of the plan, including 644.7 hectares of forest planted by local people using their own capital.

This is a positive sign for the implementation of the forest-based economic development plan in Tuong Duong, as well as for achieving the goal of planting nearly 5,000 hectares under the project, after a period of public disillusionment following the unfinished implementation of the raw material forest planting project for the Tan Hong Pulp Mill.

Comrade Nguyen Van Hai, Chairman of the District People's Committee, spoke at the meeting to discuss solutions for developing raw material forests in the district.

At the same time, to strengthen the confidence of local forest planters and to ensure the sustainable development of forestry in Tuong Duong district, Tuong Duong invited Thang Nam Forestry Joint Stock Company to discuss solutions for coordinating the development of raw material areas for the Nghe An Wood Factory in the district.

Accordingly, several agreements have been reached, and the company will implement several investment policies for raw material areas and sign product purchase contracts with local people. Alongside reforestation, the district is focusing on improving forest protection; integrating policies to better protect forests by contracting forest protection to local people, such as Program 30a and forest environmental services, to increase their income.

PV:It is known that Tuong Duong district is currently actively coordinating with Thang Nam Forestry Joint Stock Company to implement the planting of raw material forests for the Nghe An MDF wood factory. So, what results have been achieved so far, as well as what difficulties and obstacles have been encountered, and what are the solutions to overcome them, Comrade?

Comrade Nguyen Van Hai:Through examining some of the policies announced by Thang Nam Forestry Joint Stock Company, we learned that the factory provides farmers with seeds and fertilizers; supports design, guides planting and care techniques; and guarantees product purchase. This can be seen as a model of close cooperation between the "three parties": the State, the enterprise, and the farmers. We consider this the "key" to exploiting the district's potential advantages, creating jobs, and increasing income for the people.

To ensure stable output for raw material forest planting in the district, aiming to make Tuong Duong district a stable raw material source for factories, creating sustainable income for people, and contributing to poverty reduction, the District People's Committee actively directs and leads communes to strengthen the development of raw material forest planting, creating an economic chain for linked members and building confidence for investors.

Inspecting planted forests in Tam Quang commune (Tuong Duong district).

However, during the implementation of the local-company linkage, there are still some obstacles that we are seeking solutions to overcome as follows: Firstly, Tuong Duong district has not received provincial approval for the planning of a raw material forest plantation area for the MDF wood factory. Secondly, previously, the Provincial People's Committee had approved the raw material planting area plan for Tuong Duong district for Tan Hong Pulp Mill to plant raw material forests, but now Tan Hong Pulp Mill has gone bankrupt, so the raw material area has not been invested in or implemented.

The District People's Committee has submitted a proposal to the Provincial People's Committee requesting consideration of adjusting the planning for planting raw material forests for the Tan Hong Pulp Processing Plant to supplement and expand the raw material area planning for the Nghe An MDF Wood Processing Plant of Thang Nam Forestry Joint Stock Company.

In that spirit, Tuong Duong district directly worked with and provided feedback to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Planning and Investment to advise the Provincial People's Committee to revoke the decision on the planning of the raw material forest planting area of ​​Tan Hong Pulp Mill and instead allocate it to the Nghe An MDF Wood Processing Plant.

While awaiting a response and the revocation of the provincial decision on the planning area for planting raw material forests for the Tan Hong Factory, Tuong Duong district requested the Provincial People's Committee to allow the district to sign a commitment to plant raw material forests for the Nghe An MDF wood processing factory so that the factory can invest funds to support local people in planting forests.

PV:Thank you, sir!

Huu Nghia

(Perform)