EU & MCNV promote sustainable forest management in the context of climate change in Quang Tri

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Mr. Tom Corrie, First Counsellor, EU Delegation to Vietnam speaks at the event. Source: MCNV

The launching workshop of the project ‘Promoting sustainable partnership between CSOs and enterprises for sustainable forest management in the context of climate change’ (PROSPER) was jointly organized by the Medical Committee Netherlands-Vietnam (MCNV) and Quang Tri Smallholder Forest Certification Group (SFCG) on June 26 in Dong Ha city, Quang Tri province.

The event brought together representatives of the Delegation of European Union in Vietnam, the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee (the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations), the provincial People’s Committee, the Department of Foreign Affairs, MCNV, enterprises in forestry sector and representatives of benefited communes.

PROSPER project is co-funded by the European Union (EU) and MCNV with total value of EUR 800,000 (USD 898,000), February 2020 - February 2023 period, aiming to promote sustainable partnership between CSOs and enterprises for sustainable forest management in the context of climate change.

The workshop served as an information-sharing platform for the authorities, governing agencies, enterprises and forest owners. As part of the workshop, stakeholders will participate in a discussion to give suggestion for more effective implementation of the project.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Tom Corrie, First Counsellor, EU Delegation to Vietnam said: ‘I’m pleased to be here today at the launching workshop of PROSPER project. The timing is good as the EVFTA has been ratified by both EU and Vietnam, and our Agreement on better timber/forest management entered into force just over a year ago. This project brings together many of EU’s interests here in Vietnam, on environment, trade, and sustainable development all within one single project. Implemented in Quang Tri, initiatives promoted under the project will be highly relevant for the wider context of Vietnam – a country among the most vulnerable nations to climate change and at high risk of deforestation’.

In Vietnam, sustainable forest management (SFM) and forest certification (FSC) are two among five areas of the global and national Action Plan of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+).

Sustainable management of natural resources in the context of climate change requires good governance and commitment of local communities to engaging in environmentally responsible plans for land and forest use.

Mr. Pham Dung, MCNV Country Director speaks at the event. Source: MCNV

Quang Tri has been a pioneering province in engaging smallholders in SFM and FSC. In 2014, the Quang Tri Smallholder Forest Certification Group (SFCG) Association became the first smallholders in Vietnam that was recognized as a legal entity and certified for FSC.

Based on what have been achieved, PROSPER will be implemented through Quang Tri SFCG Association with the focus on building capacity on SFM and promoting supply chains of non-timber forest products and plantation timber for target groups of households and cooperative forest owners who join FSC-certified acacia plantation as well as community and household forest owners of natural forest.

The project will assist 60 sub-associations of around 3,000 farmers who are household, cooperative and community forest owners. In the next three years, the project will help 1,500 hectares of plantation forests achieve FSC status and SFM will be applied on 600 hectares of natural forests.

According to Mr. Pham Dung, MCNV Country Director, Quang Tri is MCNV’s key beneficiary locality, where the organization started its supports for Vietnam in 1968. For the past 15 years, MCNV has diversified its fields of support for Vietnam by implementing projects in livelihood, response to climate change, etc.

“We look forward to seeing the fruit of PROSPER, which will improve the prosperity of the people - smallholders, partner enterprises, maintaining the greenery of Quang Tri and contribute to the province’s sustainable development”, he said./.

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