Nghe An: Many potential risks from slash-and-burn farming

(Baonghean) - The hot season is also the time when ethnic people in remote districts such as Ky Son, Quy Chau, Que Phong (Nghe An)clearing vegetation, slash-and-burn farming. This activity poses a very high risk of causing forest fires.

Prevent forest fires when burning fields

At this time, in Tien Phong commune (Que Phong), people are implementing the treatment of vegetation by burning for farming. Mr. Luong Van Duc - Head of Na Sanh village, Tien Phong commune said: Na Sanh village has 120 households, before 2010, there were about 60 hectares of fields. Now there are only about 10 hectares of rotation fields. Up to this point, the village has cleared and burned about 6 hectares of fields. During the burning process, the village management board together with the commune's agricultural staff directly guided the people on the burning process.

Burning fields to make fields in Quang Phong commune (Que Phong).

Mr. Vo Khanh Toan - Chairman of Tien Phong Commune People's Committee added: At its peak, the commune had over 250 hectares of fields, but now the commune only has over 40 hectares of rotational fields. Right from the beginning of the hot season, the commune and local forest rangers organized training for villagers on the process of burning fields and fighting fires when forest fires occurred. Thanks to that, there have been no forest fires here for many years.

Tien Phong commune has reduced the area of ​​fields because in recent years, the commune has focused on reclaiming wet rice fields, increasing the total area of ​​wet rice to nearly 250 hectares. The commune also encourages people to develop economic models such as raising large livestock and planting raw material forests.

To minimize the risk of forest fires caused by slash-and-burn farming, the People's Committee of Que Phong district has established a Steering Committee for Field Allocation, advising the Chairman of the District People's Committee to resolve issues related to field allocation. Based on the actual situation in the communes, organize field allocation to villages lacking water fields, meeting the food production needs of the people.

Mr. Tran Duc Loi - Deputy Head of Que Phong Forest Protection Department said: The Department has directed the local Forest Protection Department to base on the actual conditions of each village and hamlet to have a plan for allocating fields. From there, organize the zoning of fields to the right subjects, in the right locations according to the plan. The forest protection force regularly checks and monitors people entering the forest, preventing acts of taking advantage of burning fields to affect forest resources and illegally burning forests.

In Tuong Duong district, the key areas of slash-and-burn farming that are prone to forest fires include communes such as Mai Son, Huu Khuong, Tam Thai, Thach Giam, Xa Luong, Luong Minh, Tam Hop, Luu Kien...

Currently, the people of Tam Quang commune are starting the season of clearing the fields on a planned area of ​​220 hectares, however, the people have only received 180 hectares. Up to this point, the people have processed 30 hectares of fields. The commune has coordinated well with local forest rangers to guide and supervise the people during the safe burning process.

Of the 180 hectares of fields, this year, people have processed over 50 hectares to grow raw acacia.

Tuong Duong district has 174,618 hectares of forest, currently only 500 hectares of rotational fields remain. In addition to rotational fields according to the plan, due to the difficult life of ethnic minorities and lack of rice fields, a part of the people still illegally burn their fields.

All communes have established a Steering Committee for slash-and-burn cultivation, in coordination with local forest rangers, to promptly guide the people in the treatment of vegetation and slash-and-burn cultivation. The district organizes a commitment with the people that slash-and-burn cultivation can only be done in planned areas and in accordance with technical procedures. Before burning, it is necessary to report to the local authorities for instructions.

Need to synchronize policies on field management

Que Phong people plant forests on their fields.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan - Head of Forest Protection Management Department - Provincial Forest Protection Department said: The planning of swidden production in Nghe An province from 2009 to present has been implemented in 6 mountainous districts including: Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Que Phong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop, with a total area of ​​46,487 hectares.

Every year, based on the planning of the swidden production area, the Forest Ranger in charge of the area coordinates with the local government to assign fixed rotation fields to swidden production households. The entire province assigns about 20,000 hectares of fields.

At the time of slash-and-burn farming, the Forest Protection Department directs district forest rangers to guide people to farm in accordance with planning and regulations on forest fire prevention and control, and requires that before burning the fields, they must notify the local authorities and forest rangers.

However, the management and planning of swidden fields still have limitations such as: There are no clear policies and regulations on the mechanism for systematic and comprehensive management of swidden fields; no State management agency has been assigned specific tasks for planning and management of swidden fields, leading to a situation where there are many agencies with related responsibilities, but there is a lack of a focal point for coordination and implementation direction.

The system of criteria for classifying upland, unused land and forestry land lacks uniformity. Production is still heavily self-sufficient and has not yet exploited the land's potential. The productivity and quality of crops and livestock are low.

According to Mr. Tuan, to properly manage swidden land, there needs to be coordinated solutions: Review and re-plan the swidden production area to be stable and long-term for the people, in accordance with the customs and practices of each ethnic group.

Van Truong