Báo cáo dự án khoa học: Sustainable community-based forest development and management in some high poverty areas in Bac Kan Province (MILESTONE 2)

Filename: CARD-CFM, First Six-Monthly Report, FINAL VERSION, 15 August 07.doc Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Project Progress Report MILESTONE 2 FIRST SIX-MONTHLY REPORT Sustainable community-based forest development and management in some high poverty areas in Bac Kan Province Project No: 017/06 VIE 15 August 2007 Table of Contents 1. Institute Information ....................................................................................................... 1 2. Project Abstract................................................................................................................ 2 3. Executive Summary......................................................................................................... 2 Objective 1................................................................................................................................ 2 Objective 2................................................................................................................................ 2 Objective 3................................................................................................................................ 3 4. Introduction & Background............................................................................................ 3 Approach and Methodology............................................................................................................5 5. Progress to Date............................................................................................................... 7 5.1 Implementation Highlights.................................................................................................7 Objective 1................................................................................................................................ 8 Objective 2................................................................................................................................ 8 Objective 3................................................................................................................................ 8 5.2 Smallholder Benefits..........................................................................................................11 5.3 Capacity Building..............................................................................................................11 5.4 Publicity..............................................................................................................................12 5.5 Project Management .........................................................................................................12 6. Report on Cross-Cutting Issues..................................................................................... 16 6.1 Environment ......................................................................................................................16 6.2 Gender and Social Issues ..................................................................................................17 7. Implementation & Sustainability Issues....................................................................... 17 7.1 Issues and Constraints.......................................................................................................17 7.2 Options................................................................................................................................18 7.3 Sustainability......................................................................................................................19 8. Next Critical Steps.......................................................................................................... 19 9. Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 20 10. Statutory Declaration......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. 2 1. Institute Information Project Name Vietnamese Institution Vietnamese Project Team Leader Australian Organisation Australian Personnel Date commenced Completion date (original) Completion date (revised) Reporting period Sustainable community-based forest development and management in some high poverty areas in Bac Kan Province Department of Forest Protection, Bac Kan Province Mr Trieu Van Luc, Joint Team Leader Ensis – the Joint Forces of CSIRO and SCION Mr Khongsak Pinyopusarerk (Joint Team Leader), Mr Brian Gunn and Dr Peter Stevens March 2007 March 2010 (At this date, the completion date has not been revised) March 2007 to July 2007 inclusive Contact Officer(s) In Australia: Team Leader Name: Position: Organisation Khongsak Pinyopusarerk Research Scientist Ensis – the Joint Forces of CSIRO and SCION Telephone: Fax: Email: 61-2-6281 8247 61-2-6281 8266 Khongsak.Pinyopusarerk@ensisjv.com In Australia: Administrative contact Name: Position: Organisation Mr Brian Thomas Commercial Manager Ensis – the Joint Forces of CSIRO and SCION Telephone: Fax: Email: 61-3-9545 2219 61-3-9545 2449 Brian.Thomas@ensisjv.com In Vietnam Name: Position: Organisation Mr Tran Van Dien Vice Director Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry Telephone: Fax: Email: +84-280-851822 +84-280-852921 tranvandientn@vnn.vn 1 2. Project Abstract The project aims to empower ethnic minority people in four pilot villages in Van Minh and Lang San Communes, Na Ri District, Bac Kan Province, to manage their allocated Community Forests. This will be achieved through capacity building activities at community and government levels, and technical and institutional support, in participatory forest land use planning, land allocation and extension services as part of community based forest management. The project will help to improve local livelihoods of disadvantaged men and women through equal access to forest land, better resource management and sharing of benefits. New systems will help to minimize forest land degradation and support forest development and conservation. Newly-developed information systems, experiences and training methods will be shared with other villages, Communes and relevant parts of the Province and northern mountainous regions through numerous information dissemination methods. During the first five months (March to July 2007 inclusive) of the project the Inception Meeting was held and all the required activities under Objectives 1, 2 and 3 in the Implementation Schedule have been accomplished, despite severe delays due to problems with translations. 3. Executive Summary The Implementation Schedule prescribes a very heavy load of activities during the first six months under Objectives 1 and 2, and part of Objective 3. The following prescribed activities have been completed, mostly within the time frames shown in the Implementation Schedule, although there have been severe delays due to problems with translations to and from both languages: The acronym ‘CFM’ means Community Forest Management. Objective 1 1. Stakeholder Meetings – done in Bac Kan in March 2007 2. Establish Project Coordinating Committee - done in Bac Kan in March 2007 3. Establish Forest User Groups – done and reported 4. Establish CFM Board – done and reported 5. Establish networks of CFM in villages – done and reported 6. Baseline Survey in 4 pilot villages – done, reported as a First Draft and since revised to a Second Draft. See the separate Milestone No. 3 Report 7. Develop CFM guidelines – done, revised with advice from P.R. Stevens, and proceeding through the Government approval processes Objective 2 1. Establish task force in each pilot village – done and reported 2. Training of local government officers and task forces on Land Use Planning and Land Allocation (LUPLA) – done and reported 3. Village forest surveys for land use planning – done and reported 4. Carry out land allocation – areas of Community Forests have been identified and mapped through consultation with villagers. New land uses have been decided by villagers. The formal processes of land allocation have been commenced. 5. Arrange and obtain approval for rights of land use (to be completed by the end of October) – as above, in process. 2 6. Land distribution to communities (to be completed by the end of October) – as above, in process. Objective 3 1. Training local government extension officers and commune leaders on CFM – done and reported 2. Develop participatory CFM plans (to be completed by the end of August) – in process of discussion and resolution with villagers and officials. These items are discussed in more detail below, and in the table at the end of the text of this Report, entitled “Project Progress against Proposed Objectives, Outputs, Activities and Inputs”, modified from the project logical framework. This First Six-Monthly Progress Report is supported by eight Attachments: Attachment 1. Attachment 2. Attachment 3. Attachment 4. Attachment 5. Attachment 6. Attachment 7: Attachment 8: Guidelines for Community Forestry Management. A Report on Forest Survey Four Land Use Planning Reports for four villages One Community Forest Land Use Planning Map A Report on “Training of participatory planning and management” A Report on “Training the Community Forest Management” Report on “Results of setting up network of management and use of the forest” Report on “Setting up group of management and use of the forest” 4. Introduction & Background Although Vietnam has made great advances in poverty reduction, the country still faces challenges in sharing the increased economic benefits. Disparities between urban and rural areas, regions and ethnic groups have been increasing. Out of the country’s total population of 82.5 million, 25 million live on forest land. Of these, most are poor ethnic minorities with 59% in the North Mountainous Region. These forest dependent ethnic communities in the remote mountainous northern provinces of Vietnam are among the poorest in the country, with limited access to agricultural land, health facilities, markets and infrastructure. Van Minh and Lang San communes of Na Ri district in Bac Kan province have poverty rates of 63-68%. Forested land comprises 84% and 90% respectively of the total land area and is of paramount importance for community livelihoods, including collection of firewood, harvesting food and herbal medicinal plants. However, lack of access to utilise forest land and unequal allocation of forest areas to the poorer families have led to serious poverty. Management of the forest has also exacerbated the situation through many problems: (i) low productivity due to forest degradation after excessive use and little investment; (ii) perceptions of forests as common lands with free access, with unclear boundaries and poorly defined ownership obligations; (iii) few incentives to reinvest in the forest (no security) and reluctance to take direct responsibility for the land; (iv) poor awareness of user rights, forest laws and regulations, and rights of participation in official processes such as forest land allocation; and (v) very limited support from government agencies in approaches to effectively use the forest land and earn income. The new Land Law which came into effect on 1 July 2004 allows communities (villages) to receive land and forest land. However, there is no mechanism to realise this option. This 3 ... - tailieumienphi.vn