ERPA is the support for the people of Nghe An highlands

Nghe An mountainous region benefits greatly from the agreement to pay for greenhouse gas emission reduction in the North Central region. Photo: Viet Khanh.

Reduce state budget

In the context of limited budget resources for forest management and protection, revenue from forest environmental services, replacement forestation, especially funding from the North Central Region Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Payment Agreement (ERPA) has made a difference in many aspects.

Local authorities, forest owners and stakeholders affirmed that ERPA is a practical policy, having a positive impact on the social life of the highland people. In fact, this policy has reduced the pressure on the state budget in forest management and protection by creating more jobs, improving livelihoods, increasing income for forest workers, thereby contributing to maintaining national security, social order and safety and maintaining stable forest cover for the whole Nghe An province (over 58%).

The more natural forests you own, the higher the ERPA payment. Photo: Viet Khanh.

It should be reiterated that ERPA is a new policy with many “unprecedented” contents, thus requiring caution and a firm implementation step by step to minimize legal risks. During the implementation process, Nghe An Forest Protection and Development Fund closely advised the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Department of Agriculture and Environment) to issue a series of directive documents as a basis for smooth implementation.

That does not mean everything went smoothly from start to finish, on the contrary, there were many obstacles and problems that affected the overall progress. This was predictable from the beginning, especially when Nghe An owns the largest forest area in the country but the natural forest area fluctuated greatly compared to the data announced by the Provincial People's Committee in 2023.

The new rural appearance in the mountainous region of Nghe An is brighter thanks to the ERPA policy. Photo: Viet Khanh.

Not to mention the situation of overlapping, encroachment, and disputes over forest land that is quite common; or the fact that many forest owners are households, individuals, and communities that own natural forest areas but do not have a list of published forest status in 2023, or the actual reviewed area "shifts" so there is no basis for payment in 2024...

Opportunities intertwine with difficulties and challenges, but it cannot be denied that the agreement to pay for greenhouse gas emission reduction in the North Central region has created positive signals for the mountainous region of Nghe An, clearly shown in districts with large areas of natural forests such as Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Con Cuong, and Que Phong.

The statistics do not lie, on the contrary, they have proven the widespread impact of ERPA. By the end of 2024, Nghe An province had paid more than 173 billion VND to beneficiaries, reaching 85.4% of the plan.

Voice from the grassroots

Based on the documents guiding the implementation of ERPA, the Tuong Duong District Forest Protection Department advised the Tuong Duong District People's Committee to issue Official Dispatch No. 1221/UBND-NL directing the People's Committees of relevant communes and towns to open bank accounts, instructing village communities that have agreed to protect forests with forest owners as organizations to make plans and estimate support costs according to the provisions of Decree No. 107/2022/ND-CP.

According to statistics, the total area of ​​natural forests benefiting from ERPA in Tuong Duong district is more than 90,975 hectares. Of which, nearly 60,810 hectares are under the management of households, individuals, and communities, the rest belongs to the People's Committees at the commune level.

Mr. Vi Van Nhi, a citizen of Co Phao village (right) affirmed that the ERPA policy has brought many practical benefits. Photo: Viet Khanh.

Mr. Le Dinh Tu, Deputy Head of Tuong Duong Forest Protection Department, gave an overview of the district's 236,646 hectares of forest with a coverage rate of 84.28%. From the above characteristics, it can be seen that the lives of indigenous people still depend on the forest economy, specifically on protecting natural forests to benefit from the policies of the Party and State:

“Over the past years, the district has effectively implemented forestry policies such as payment for forest environmental services; support policies under Sub-project 1 of Project 3 under the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas; Sustainable Forestry Development Program; forest protection support policies under Resolution 02 of the Provincial People's Council. The latest is the policy of agreement on payment for greenhouse gas emission reduction in the North Central region.

From the direction of the Government, Ministry, Department, Forest Protection Department, and especially the direct guidance of the entire political system of Tuong Duong district, the Forest Protection Department, as the host, has coordinated smoothly with the communes in the beneficiary area to review and prepare documents for large-scale implementation. 23.3 billion VND from the ERPA policy in 2024 has created a comprehensive driving force, thereby raising responsibility and spreading awareness of forest management and protection throughout the community.

The entire Tuong Duong district has over 90,000 hectares of natural forests that are paid for from greenhouse gas emission reduction agreements. Photo: Tam Phung.

The above viewpoint received the consensus of Mr. Luong Ba Truyen, Vice Chairman of Yen Na Commune People's Committee: "The terrain here is unfavorable, surrounded by high mountains and dense forests, the people basically have no stable jobs, so most of them still have to rely on natural resources. Along with the policy of paying for forest environmental services, reforestation, and the agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it has brought a breath of fresh air to the majority. Thanks to ERPA, the parties have found the necessary harmony, both reducing professional pressure and being a catalyst to accelerate the process of building new rural areas."

Sitting next to him, Mr. Vi Van Nhi, a citizen of Co Phao village, Yen Na commune, nodded in agreement. With a big smile on his face, joy clearly visible, Nhi said: “Since the time of our ancestors until now, many generations have lived thanks to the forest. In this high land, people have always been protected and sheltered by the forest. My family was assigned by the State to protect more than 3 hectares of natural forest. Now that we have enjoyed the ERPA policy, the burden of food and clothing has been somewhat reduced. Recognizing that the forest is the breath and the reason for living, all people, young and old, work together to preserve and protect it.”

As the forest owner assigned to manage over 86,000 hectares of forests of all kinds, spread across 16/17 communes and towns of Tuong Duong district, after 20 years of hard work and dedication to forest protection, the Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Board has "understood" more than its heavy professional duties. The forest is dense, with hundreds of directions, to maintain security requires relying on the people's strength through promoting the State's support policies.

Without hiding anything, Mr. Nguyen Sy Hieu, Deputy Head of Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Board emphasized: “In 2024, the unit has paid more than 2 billion VND from the greenhouse gas emission reduction agreement source for 4 communes of Tam Quang, Tam Thai, Xa Luong and Thach Giam town. In 2025, the policy will certainly spread more widely with a budget of over 5 billion VND, of which about 1.8 billion VND will be allocated to forest protection for communes in region I, the remaining amount will be used to support livelihood development for 68 communities. Rights come with responsibilities, with the support of the people, the pressure to protect the forest has been shared at the right time and place.”

Source: https://nongnghiep.vn/erpa-la-be-do-cua-dong-bao-vung-cao-nghe-an-d743382.html