Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund in the REDD+ Action Plan

(Baonghean) - Implementing Decision 799/QD-TTg dated June 27, 2012 of the Prime Minister on the National Action Program "Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through efforts to limit deforestation and forest degradation, sustainably managing forest resources, conserving and enhancing forest carbon stocks (REDD+)", period 2015 - 2020, on December 23, 2015, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Decision 5337/QD-BNN-TCLN on "Project to establish the Vietnam REDD+ Fund".

Accordingly, in our country there is only one REDD+ Vietnam Fund organized according to the model: Management Council - Management Board - Technical Advisory Board... located in Hanoi, under the direction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Fund is responsible for: Receiving contributions and aid from foreign and domestic countries, organizations and individuals for REDD+; Managing and effectively using financial resources to pay for the following activities:

Operation of Vietnam's REDD+ program (such as building and operating the National Forest Resources Monitoring System - NFMS, Safeguards Information System - SIS, etc.); National policies and solutions in line with the National Action Program on REDD+; Provincial REDD+ Action Plans; Implementation of programs: emission reduction, supporting the Government in research activities, operating costs of the REDD+ Fund; Appraising, selecting, approving and disbursing funds for programs, projects and activities receiving funding from the REDD+ Fund; Guiding, inspecting, monitoring and complying with the information and reporting regime according to agreements with partners, in accordance with Vietnamese law and international regulations.

People in Yen Thanh district prepare acacia seedlings for forest planting. Photo: Phu Huong

The REDD+ Fund has the authority to:

- Decide on budget allocation for project programs or non-project activities according to annual plans;

- Manage and use financial resources in accordance with agreements and funding agreements that the Vietnamese Government has signed with international partners and donors;

- Sign contracts and re-financing agreements with subjects accessing the REDD+ Fund;

- Monitor, inspect, evaluate and accept the results of implementing programs, projects and activities supported by the Fund;

- Suspend and recover supported funds when detecting organizations and individuals implementing programs, projects, and activities that are not in accordance with approved content, violating commitments on the use of funds, or violating other provisions of Vietnamese law, violating international regulations and practices on REDD+;

- Coordinate with the General Department of Forestry to submit to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for promulgation, amendment and supplementation of regulations and instructions related to the REDD+ Fund.

- Coordinate with the General Department of Forestry to develop and submit to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for submission to the Prime Minister for promulgation of a specific mechanism allowing the REDD+ Fund to manage ODA resources to support REDD+ according to the mechanism of the TFF Fund directed by the Prime Minister in Official Dispatch No. 850/CP-NN dated June 23, 2004 on the establishment of the Fund.

For provinces and cities under the project, there will be no provincial REDD+ Fund established. Therefore, provincial agencies will not have the function of allocating funds, but will receive funds directly from the REDD+ Fund to implement the activities stated in the Provincial REDD+ Action Plan.

Funds will be transferred through the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund. The Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund will be supplemented with functions and tasks to receive funds for the implementation of PRAP (or equivalent provincial REDD+ plan) according to the regulations and management rules of the REDD+ Fund.

Therefore, to successfully implement the provincial REDD+ action plan, the Forest Protection and Development Fund plays a very important role. In addition to the function of receiving and managing entrusted payments, it is also an organization that represents the national REDD+ Fund to guide, monitor, inspect, and supervise the implementation of the provincial action plan.

This is the decisive factor for the successful implementation of the REDD+ program not only at the provincial level but also at the national level. Therefore, in the coming time, the Forest Protection and Development Fund will amend and supplement the organization and operation charter in accordance with the requirements and tasks assigned by the National REDD+ Fund.

Hai Yen