The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) jointly launched the Sustainable Forest Management project and Biodiversity Conservation project on April 22.

The two new projects, sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development aim to help Viet Nam respond to the impacts of climate change and strengthen forest and biodiversity conservation. 

The two new projects, sponsored by the USAID, will build on successes of Viet Nam Forests and Deltas project, which was carried out from 2012-2021 and expand assistance in helping Viet Nam respond to the impacts of climate change and strengthen forest and biodiversity conservation. 

The Sustainable Forest Management project (2020-2025) seeks to avoid carbon emissions from natural forest conversion and increase carbon sequestration through the improved management of plantation forests.

Meanwhile, the Biodiversity Conservation project (2020-2025) aims to maintain and increase forest quality, and protect and stabilize wildlife populations in national parks and natural reserves, in high conservation value provinces. 

These projects will work in 12 provinces across the nation.

The event marked the completion of the USAID Viet Nam Forests and Deltas project, a US$31.4 million climate change program implemented from 2012-2021.

The project helped Viet Nam’s transition to climate resilient, low-emission sustainable development as well as assisted the MARD to successfully implement the Payment for Forest Environmental Services (PFES) system at national scale, which now generates approximately US$120 million annually to finance the management of approximately six million hectares of Viet Nam’s forests. 

In addition, the project trained approximately 350,000 people on climate change adaptation, forest management and livelihoods development and helped over 200,000 people implement climate change risk reduction practices in the Mekong and Red River Deltas.