Nghe An: Paying for forest environmental services through banks and electronic payment transactions

With the goal of conveying the State's policy on payment for forest environmental services to the people,... The Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund organized training conferences on the implementation of the policy on payment for forest environmental services in 12 communes of 3 districts: Que Phong, Ky Son and Con Cuong.

Participating in this conference were representatives of forest owners, organizations, households, individuals, village/hamlet communities, Commune People's Committees and district-level payment organizations (Forest Protection Departments); Forces, social organizations, household groups and village/hamlet communities contracted to protect forests; Partner units implementing payment for forest environmental services through bank accounts and other electronic payment transactions.

Representatives of organizations, households, individuals, village/hamlet communities... participated in training on implementing the policy of payment for forest environmental services in Que Phong. Photo: Hoang Dung

At the conference, the leaders of the Forest Protection and Development Fund introduced the main contents of the implementation of the payment policy for forest environmental services, including: Dissemination of some contents on management and use of forest environmental service fees according to the Forestry Law and Decree 156/2018/ND-CP; Implementation of payment for forest environmental services via bank accounts or other electronic payment transactions; Guidance on management and use of forest environmental service fees in communities and household groups.

Representative of Viettel Nghe An branch guides payment via ViettelPay. Photo: Hoang Vinh

Mr. Duong Ngoc Hung - Deputy Director of Nghe An Forest Protection and Development Fund said: In recent times, the payment of forest environmental services in Nghe An has been carried out quite well, effectively and has always received the consensus of the people and beneficiaries of forest environmental services. Through this, people receive money directly in cash from the payment officers of the forest owners and the Forest Protection Department.

Many households in Nghe An develop their economy from forest planting. Photo: Archive

However, to reduce difficulties and ensure transparency, safety, reduce management costs, and shorten payment time in paying forest environmental services to people participating in forest protection, Nghe An has implemented payment of forest environmental services through the banking system or other electronic payment transactions, and the Postal system since 2018.

Staff of the Forest Protection and Development Fund, along with the Forest Protection Department and forest owners, inspected the implementation of the policy on payment for forest environmental services in Que Phong. Photo: Hoang Dung

In 2019, the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund reviewed and evaluated experiences from pilot localities, through which the Provincial Fund selected a payment method suitable to local realities and will work with a number of service providers to pay for forest environmental services through bank accounts or other electronic transactions, non-cash payments in the province to ensure the most effective results.

This is a practical and timely action, contributing to the implementation of the Government's policy of cashless payment and helping people access payment services, improving the quality of management and use of DVMTR money.