Sustainable livelihood models help Que Phong earn tens of billions of VND each year.
On the afternoon of November 5th, Que Phong district, in coordination with the Nghe An Forestry Development Consulting Center, held a summary and evaluation meeting for the project to replicate sustainable livelihood models for the period 2022-2024.
The conference was chaired by Mr. Bui Van Hien - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Que Phong district; and Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nham - Director of the Nghe An Forestry Development Consulting Center.
Attending the conference was Dr. Hua Duc Nhi - former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, member of the Steering Committee of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).The Chairperson of the Vietnam Forest Owners Association; Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen - National Coordinator of the Global Environment Fund, Small Projects Grant Program, United Nations Development Programme; representatives from the Biodiversity Department (General Department of Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment); businesses and communes benefiting from the project.
Que Phong is a mountainous border district with the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve, covering an area of 84,000 hectares, including 34,000 hectares of special-use forest and 50,000 hectares of protection forest. The district also has valuable and rare specialty plants and medicinal herbs with high economic value, such as the bamboo, golden flower tea plant, and bon bo tree. Therefore, since January 2022, based on a proposal from the Nghe An Forestry Development Consulting Center, UNDP has approved and funded a project to replicate sustainable livelihood models from the golden flower tea plant, bamboo, met tree, and bon bo tree.
The UNDP project, funded with VND 1.22 billion, aims to protect, replant, and sustainably harvest nearly 1,487.3 hectares of bamboo forest; conserve, develop, and sustainably harvest 134.7 hectares of golden flower tea plants; conserve, develop, and sustainably harvest 92.9 hectares of bon bo trees; and develop 20 hectares of met trees in the protective zone along the Ban Na hydroelectric reservoir… in two buffer zone communes of the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve.
After more than two years of project implementation, with weekly steps including communication and mobilization of people and support from local authorities and organizations, 421 out of 421 households in 8 villages and 2 communes participated and the project was successfully completed, achieving 100% participation.
Specifically, 19 out of 20 hectares of bamboo have been planted, reaching 95%; 90.8 hectares of bon bo trees have been planted and sustainably harvested, reaching 97.7%; 138.8 out of 134.7 hectares of golden flower tea have been enclosed, protected, cared for, and sustainably harvested, reaching 99.3%; and 1,487.3 hectares of bamboo forest have been enclosed, protected, and sustainably harvested, reaching 100%.
In addition to contributing to reducing pressure on biodiversity and forest ecosystem functions in the two buffer zone communes of the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve, the project has enhanced the knowledge and capacity for sustainable livelihood development among ethnic minority communities; and successfully replicated five livelihood models in Dong Van and Thong Thu communes.
However, through evaluating the long-term significance and effectiveness of the project, forestry experts and local authorities also pointed out some advantages and difficulties in implementing the project; at the same time, they recommended that the Project Management Board continue to have a revolving capital mechanism to replicate sustainable livelihood models; establish cooperatives and community groups to support and link product consumption so that when the project ends, these livelihood models will continue to be maintained and expanded.
At the conference, based on a high appreciation of the project's significance, Mr. Bui Van Hien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Que Phong district, shared the district's strengths in developing rare and valuable plant species and medicinal plants under the forest canopy. The district has a large area of natural forest, but resources and models for creating livelihoods for people to live off and benefit from the forest are limited. Thanks to the efforts of the people and the support of the project, their awareness of preserving natural forests has been raised. From bon bo trees to golden flower tea plants, these plants bring tens of billions of dong in economic value to the district each year.
Responding to the feedback and suggestions, the leaders of Que Phong district stated that they will continue to direct, apply, and integrate these with national target programs and other resources to ensure that sustainable livelihood models in the buffer zone of the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve are continued and expanded.
