Reducing emissions through climate smart agroforestry in Viet Nam
In Viet Nam’s Central Highlands and South-Central Coast, the clearing of forests for crops is driving up greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. The country is keen to strike a balance between protecting its forests and helping rural households in these regions earn a decent living, many of whom belong to ethnic minority communities.
A new project designed by FAO and IFAD aims to do just that. The USD 99.5 million Reduce Emissions through Climate Smart Agroforestry (RECAF) project is proposed for co-financing by IFAD, the GCF, the government and project beneficiaries.
The REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) framework, key to Viet Nam’s Climate Change Strategy, will guide practical measures to reduce deforestation, promote forest regeneration and agroforestry – the growing of trees and shrubs alongside crops and pastures – and increase forest carbon capture.
Key to this will be creating an enabling environment for better policies in the agriculture, forestry and other land use sector and greater cross-sector coordination. The project will also strengthen the ability to access green credit to carry out REDD+ action plans and financially reward communities that are successfully preserving forest resources.
Developing zero-deforestation value chains will open up alternative income sources for rural households, like beekeeping, the growing of mushrooms, herbs and medicinal plants or the production of specialty products, like dried fruits or nuts, from tree species introduced into agroforestry systems. The creation of public-private-producer partnership platforms will help producers link up with lucrative markets. This in turn will provide farmers and agribusinesses with greater incentives to manage forest resources better, invest in growing and greening their operations and share the benefits of forest ecosystem services more equitably. Around 100 000 rural households will benefit from the project, as well as leading value chain firms, agribusiness SMEs and producer organizations. Nature-based solutions like those proposed under RECAF are key to building climate resilient ecosystems and communities.