Nghe An implements afforestation according to the plan of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

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Keo Luc 3 is one of the two villages of Pha Danh commune that is currently planting Doi, Phang trees and medicinal plants such as Morinda officinalis and Purple cardamom. These are the first plants to be planted on the fields of the local people.

Kha Van Tuan, Secretary of the Keo Luc 3 Party Cell, said that for generations, the people of Keo Luc have mainly lived on agricultural production, growing upland rice and raising buffalo, cows and pigs. Not everyone understands the meaning and long-term benefits of planting trees and reforestation. Therefore, when the authorities at all levels encouraged people to plant Do trees and medicinal plants on the fields, there were many doubts.

However, when understanding the benefits of afforestation, it not only creates a long-term source of livelihood for the family, but also helps to green bare hills, contributing to preventing erosion and landslides. When there are trees and forests, fighting climate change and mitigating natural disasters also helps the lives of the villagers become safer and cleaner. Therefore, Mr. Tuan said, 10 households with fields in Keo Luc village all agreed to support tree planting.

“Starting from October 2024, the village committee as well as households have started clearing the fields, digging holes and planting trees. With the support of the Mobile Police Regiment soldiers, the planting has been quite fast. Currently, the holes of 7 hectares have been dug and the planting has basically covered the area with about 1,000 trees/ha. Only a few households are currently waiting for seedlings to complete the planned area,” said Mr. Kha Van Tuan.

Talking more about the changes in the villages, the changes in people's awareness when converting swidden fields to afforestation, Mr. Cut Van The - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Pha Danh commune said that currently, the young labor force in the commune has almost gone to work far away. In the villages, the majority are the elderly, children, and students, so farming is also limited. Besides, raising buffalo and cows has stagnated in recent years. Therefore, the policy of afforestation is very reasonable, supported by the people, because it has created a long-term, sustainable source of livelihood. It is expected that the Doi tree will be harvested after 10 - 15 years; the Ba Kich and purple cardamom trees will be harvested after 2-3 years, bringing income under the forest canopy, forming large areas of sustainably protected timber forests.

Mr. Cut Van The added that in Pha Danh commune, planting of Doi, Morinda officinalis, and purple cardamom is currently underway in two villages, Keo Luc 3 and Pha Khao, as part of the pilot model of the Forest Planting Program associated with improving people's livelihoods, aiming at the goal of conserving water resources and absorbing and neutralizing carbon. In Keo Luc 3 village, the project has been basically completed, and is currently focusing on implementation in Pha Khom village.

Sustainable development direction

Not only in Pha Danh commune, according to our records, currently in other localities of Ky Son district, the young labor force going to work far away is common. Accordingly, the production of swidden fields and the development of agricultural economy in the locality tend to decrease due to lack of human resources. In addition, climate change, natural disasters, landslides, flash floods, droughts are increasingly fierce, complicated and unpredictable, especially in the highland localities. Therefore, economic development associated with climate change prevention, green economic development, and afforestation are extremely important in maintaining the safety and sustainability of human life.

In areas with high forest density and large forest areas such as Ky Son district in particular and the Western districts in general, economic development in the direction of multi-purpose values ​​of forest ecosystems, contributing to environmental protection and responding to climate change is a suitable and urgent direction.

Resolution No. 39/NQ-TW of the Politburo on building and developing Nghe An province to 2023, with a vision to 2045, also affirmed this direction.

The Resolution states: “Harmonious development between regions, between economy and culture - society, between economy and environmental protection, especially forest, sea and island ecosystems, proactively prevent and combat natural disasters and effectively adapt to climate change; economic development associated with firmly ensuring national defense, security and sovereignty over borders, seas and islands, maintaining political security, order and social safety... Developing agriculture in a sustainable direction, gradually adapting to climate change, reducing methane emissions in agricultural production. Restructuring agriculture according to key product groups and ecological regions to form large commodity production areas, applying high technology; promoting linkages and cooperation along the value chain. Developing forests together with the carbon credit market; focusing on developing the production of non-timber forest products, especially medicinal plants...

Implementing Resolution 39/NQ-TW, Nghe An province has issued an Action Plan. Accordingly, provincial leaders, departments and branches have had many meetings, connecting with levels and branches, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have also had many visits and worked in Nghe An to survey and deploy support programs and plans. One of them is the Plan to Support the Development of Agricultural and Forestry Economy in Ky Son District, Nghe An Province until 2030.

Specifically, on July 26, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Decision No. 2561/QD-BNN-LN approving the Plan to support the development of agricultural and forestry economy in Ky Son district, Nghe An province until 2030. In particular, it emphasizes the goal of sustainable forest development, enhancing the multi-use value of the forest ecosystem, contributing to environmental protection, responding to climate change and ensuring national defense and security in the area through support activities: forest restoration; improving the efficiency of management and use of forest environmental service fees; developing non-timber forest products and medicinal herbs under the forest canopy; researching and supporting facilities providing good quality, high-yield, high-value plant varieties.

Mr. Nguyen Van Truong - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ky Son district said that one of the contents of Decision 2561 is being implemented in Ky Son, in the villages of Keo Luc 3 and Pha Khom, Pha Danh commune. Specifically, the plan is "Building a pilot model of the Forest Planting Program associated with improving people's livelihoods towards the goal of conserving water resources and absorbing and neutralizing carbon" in Ky Son.

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The model is implemented based on the Cooperation Agreement between the Department of Forestry - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage Company Limited (SPVB) signed on July 11, 2024; Cooperation Agreement for the period 2024-2026 between this enterprise and the Department of Forestry and the Center for Research on Non-Timber Forest Products - Vietnam Forestry Science Institute. This is one of the practical contents that will be quickly implemented after the Plan to support the development of the agricultural and forestry economy of Ky Son district, Nghe An province until 2030 was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.