This wasthe result of a project on restoration and sustainable development ofprotective forests, known as JICA 2 Ninh Thuan project, in the districts ofThuan Nam, Ninh Phuoc and Ninh Son.
It iswithin the framework of forestry cooperation between the Vietnamese and Japanesegovernments aiming to restore and sustainably develop riverhead protectiveforests and improve the livelihoods of locals.
Invested bythe provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the 2012-2021 projecthas total investment of more than 164 billion VND (7.13 million USD), 132billion VND (5.73 million USD) of which was from Japan’s official developmentassistance and the remainder from the Vietnamese government.
Since 2014,the project’s management board has zoned off 660ha of natural forests forrestoration and assigned local households to protect and care for protectiveforests with a total area of 4,991ha.
Le MinhHien, head of the management board of riverhead protective forests in Tan GiangLake (Ninh Phuoc), said together with 74 households, the unit plans to plant230ha of forests during this year’s rainy season.
Deputy headof the provincial Forestry Agency and member of the project management boardDuong Dinh Son said the project has generated jobs for Raglai and Cham ethnicminorities.
It hasbuilt infrastructure in poor areas by investing in clean water supply andirrigational systems. It also offered 35 cows to Raglai ethnic minority people.
This year,the board will plant 400ha of protective forests near Tan Giang lake and ThuanNam district.-VNA