Project Launched on Restoring Degraded Land and Building Climate Resilience in Lao Cai

On November 22, the Lao Cai Farmers' Association in collaboration with ICRAF in Vietnam launched the project "Restoring degraded land and building climate resilience in Lao Cai through sustainable agroforestry to enhance livelihoods and improve value chains" in Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province from 2024 - 2027.

The project launch ceremony was attended by representatives of departments, agencies and branches of Lao Cai province, the Provincial Farmers' Association, leaders of Bac Ha district and two communes in the project area, Hoang Thu Pho and Nam Mon, representatives of the International Agroforestry Research Organization (ICRAF) in Vietnam, people participating in the project and related parties.

Launching of the project "Restoring degraded land and building climate resilience in Lao Cai through sustainable agroforestry to enhance livelihoods and improve value chains" in Bac Ha district. Photo: Spring.

The reality of land degradation in the highlands

The project "Restoring degraded land and building climate resilience in Lao Cai through sustainable agroforestry to enhance livelihoods and improve value chains" for the period 2024 - 2027 is implemented in Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province, funded by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED/UK) through the International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF/Kenya).

In his opening speech, Mr.   Bui Quang Hung, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Lao Cai province, said: The situation of land degradation in Lao Cai and Bac Ha district has been reducing the quality of the land or losing some of its properties, causing the topsoil to be washed away, affecting the purpose of land use as well as crop productivity. The causes are due to the monoculture process; loss of cover; the impact of landslides caused by floods, storms, etc.

Improper farming practices such as the use of fertilizers and pesticides also cause soil pollution, soil compaction, impact on water resources, reduce land usability and affect human health.

Land degradation has caused sedimentation of irrigation and hydroelectric reservoirs, specifically affecting the hydroelectric reservoir in Bac Ha district; affecting water storage and flow of the canal system, providing water for daily life and production of the people.

Mr. Bui Quang Hung, Chairman of Lao Cai Farmers' Association, delivered the opening speech at the project launch. Photo: Spring.

According to Mr. Bui Quang Hung, Chairman of the Farmers’ Association of Lao Cai province, Bac Ha district is home to many ethnic minorities, mainly poor people, whose livelihoods depend on natural resources. The main source of income for the people is from agriculture.

However, the highly fragmented terrain with high mountains and steep slopes has limited the farming ability of local people. Limited access to markets and non-agricultural livelihood opportunities leave people with few options to improve their livelihoods.

In the two communes of Nam Mon and Hoang Thu Pho, where the project is being implemented, it is located on a steep slope adjacent to Bac Ha hydroelectric reservoir; the terrain is steep, the people's habit is to monoculture corn and cassava; monoculture of agricultural crops for a long time but lack of soil protection measures has caused the loss of the topsoil layer which is rich in organic matter and nutrients, leading to a decrease in crop productivity.

The increased use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to increase crop yields and control pests and diseases has further reduced soil organic matter and microbial diversity. Unpredictable rainfall, drought, high temperatures and lack of vegetation cover have also contributed to soil degradation.

Project contributes to the restoration of degraded land

This project was designed with the participation and contribution of Lao Cai Provincial Farmers' Association and farmer members in Bac Ha district to solve farmers' difficulties related to agricultural and forestry production.

The project will directly improve the capacity and communication skills of Farmers' Association officials at all levels in Lao Cai on technical topics such as sustainable agroforestry development, production skills along the value chain, capacity for agricultural product market development associated with business development through training courses, study tours and research; and capacity building on climate change and environmental impacts.

In addition to knowledge, Lao Cai Farmers' Association officials at all levels are also enhanced in their capacity to work and access the cultural identity of ethnic minority communities in the project area. From there, there are harmonious solutions in accessing and exploiting indigenous knowledge to supplement and perfect technical solutions to ensure the completion of project objectives, as well as supplement knowledge for future project replication.

Delegates attending the project launch ceremony. Photo: Spring.

To implement the project to ensure progress, objectives and outputs according to the Project document "Restoring degraded land and building climate resilience in Lao Cai through sustainable agroforestry to enhance livelihoods and improve value chains" in Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province from 2024 - 2027" funded by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED/UK) through the International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF/Kenya) approved by the People's Committee of Lao Cai province in Decision No. 2620/QD-UBND dated October 15, 2024.

Chairman of Lao Cai Farmers' Association Bui Quang Hung requested the People's Committee of Bac Ha district; relevant professional agencies of the district and the Party Committee, People's Committee, People's Council of Nam Mon and Hoang Thu Pho communes to closely coordinate with the Project Management Board of Lao Cai Farmers' Association; International Research Organization for Agroforestry (ICRAF) in Vietnam; Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry to implement project activities to ensure the progress, content and outputs as set out.

For farmer members participating in the project, they must actively and proactively participate, comply with the technical processes and farming methods that have been put forth, and work with the Project Management Board to select crops suitable for the weather, climate, and soil conditions of the land and create a sustainable product chain.

Project overview. Photo: Spring.

Protecting hundreds of hectares of degraded farmland

The project aims to restore degraded land, contribute to climate change adaptation, mitigation and resilience, and improve local livelihoods through context-specific agroforestry practices, improved farm management, enhanced business models and value chains, early warning of climate risks, and agro-climate information services (ACIS).

Accordingly, the project implementation will bring about the desired effect that at least 200 hectares of degraded cropland in Nam Mon and Hoang Thu Pho communes, Bac Ba district, Lao Cai province will be protected from the loss of topsoil, soil organic carbon and nutrients (specifically Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) and improve soil organic matter through sustainable agroforestry systems and improved agricultural management practices.

At least 100 participating households will have their farm income increase by at least 10% compared to the start of the project. At least 50 households participating in the project's value chain and business development activities will increase the added value of their agricultural products by at least 10%.

The climate change adaptation capacity of local communities and stakeholders will be built and at least 450 ethnic minority smallholder farmers will be able to suffer less damage from extreme weather events and become more resilient to climate change.

Officials and members of the Farmers' Association of Bac Ha district (Lao Cai) visit and learn from the experience of the agroforestry model in Mai Son district, Son La province. Photo: Lao Cai Farmers' Association.

In addition, at least 100 hectares of agroforestry built in the project will absorb at least 400 tons of CO2 per year from 2028. At least 20 representatives (50% of whom are women) from local communities, government agencies and mass organizations (Women's Union, Youth Union and especially Farmers' Association) will participate in the Train-the-Trainer (TOT) course organized by the project and can train others.

550 community members (50% female) completed training (22 courses) on sustainable agriculture, business planning and value chain development... 50 officials of the Lao Cai Farmers' Association benefited from the project's capacity development activities.

Two officers of the Lao Cai Provincial Farmers' Association completed their Master's training program with the topic through implementing project activities.

At the launching ceremony, the representative of the Lao Cai Provincial Farmers' Association introduced to the delegates the content, implementation plan and activities of the REDAA project that has been approved for funding by the Lao Cai Provincial Farmers' Association to implement in the period 2024-2027.

In addition, experts from ICRAF in Vietnam also shared experiences and economic and environmental benefits of agroforestry models that have been implemented by ICRAF in Vietnam over the past 17 years.

At the same time, ICRAF introduced to delegates the Climate Change Learning Center that ICRAF is implementing in Thai Nguyen with the University of Agriculture and Forestry - Thai Nguyen University, as well as introduced the value chain and climate services.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lao Cai province, speaking. Photo: Spring.

Speaking at the project launch ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lao Cai province, informed: This is a very new project, very important for farmers in changing their thinking about crop cultivation.

Lao Cai province has the most fragmented terrain, many problems related to land are very clear. The impact on the land is very high, in the production process, productivity is concerned, but the use of large amounts of pesticides in the stages of pest and disease prevention, spraying to protect plants... has affected the land, the cultivation of steep hills is washed away.

During the project implementation, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lao Cai province will accompany the Farmers' Association of Lao Cai province and Bac Ha district to effectively implement the project and replicate it in other localities.

Mr. Vang Seo Sa, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Hoang Thu Pho Commune, Bac Ha District (Lao Ca) shared at the project launching ceremony. Photo:: Spring.

At the project launching ceremony, Mr. Vang Seo Sa, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Hoang Thu Pho Commune, Bac Ha District (Lao Ca) shared: Recently, I went with the delegation participating in the project of Bac Ha District to Hat Lot Town, Mai Son District, Son La Province to visit and learn about the experience of the agroforestry model organized by the Project Management Board. I found that the climate and soil are similar to the Bac Ha climate zone.

Son La farmers grow fruit trees very well and combine planting some types of trees under the canopy to help retain and protect the soil effectively.

I hope that through the project, people will be supported with suitable seedlings, and trained in science and technology transfer to develop production...

Dr. Nguyen Quang Tan, National Coordinator - International Agroforestry Research Center ICRAF, hopes to continue to accompany localities to effectively implement the project and expand it to support people... Photo: Spring.

The REDAA project in Lao Cai is a project under the "Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia" (REDAA) program, which is a program to promote research, innovation and action in Africa and Asia through providing financial and technical support.

The REDAA programme is funded by the UK Department for International Development (UKID) within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and managed by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

Source: https://danviet.vn/khoi-dong-du-an-ve-phuc-hoi-dat-bi-suy-thoai-va-xay-dung-tinh-ben-bi-voi-khi-hau-o-lao-cai-2024112120491235.htm