Viet Nam to implement Convention to Combat Desertification
Nowadays,
desertification is considered as a worldwide economic, social and
environmental issue. With a thorough awareness of the importance of
international co-operation in global environment protection in general
and combating desertification in particular, Vietnam has officially
joined and become the 134th member of United Nation
Convention to Combat Desertification since August 1998. It is one of the
most important environmental Rio Conventions together with Convention on
Climate Change and Convention on Biodiversity.
The
concept of “combating desertification” stated in the Convention document
is quite broad. In Viet Nam, this concept means combating with
desertification, soil degradation and reducing the impact of draught.
Combating desertification includes all activities fighting against land
degradation and reducing the impact of draught such as erosion, salt
intrusion and acidity as well as preserving and developing forest,
combating moving sand and managing water resources which should be in
combination with poverty reduction in a comprehensive national action
plan.
At present,
Vietnam still has around 9.3 million ha of desertified land. Of which,
7.3 million ha is unused land and bare hill. Heavily degraded acreage
reaches 2 millions ha nationwide. The fertility of land is in the
danger of significant reduction/degradation due to erosion,
lateritization, saltization, acidity, draught and running sand. The
considerable reduction in forest resources leads to the increase in
desertified acreage and the serious decline in ecological systems. Water
pollution is on the rise. Underground water resources become exhausted
in quantity and down in quality. Over the past 10 years, drought has
caused severe impacts in the agricultural and forestry production in
many areas, especially in the central regions and highlands of Viet Nam.
The events of landslide, land cracks also appear seriously, especially
in Mekong River Delta, northwestern region and the Central. Besides, the
exploitation of ocean resources and the development of aquaculture
without strict control in some locals also lead to the loss of coastal
prevention forest as well as the degradation of land and water
resources. According to statistics on the map provided by FAO and
UNESCO, Vietnam has around 462,000 ha of coastal sand area. Of which,
87,800 ha is sand dunes and moving sand.
Before joining
UNCCD, Vietnam has been carrying out various programs such as annual Tet
tree planting festival mobilized by Uncle Ho and still maintained up to
now, the movement of reclamation, Program 327 to green wasteland and
bare hills; the program on growing tree to prevent sand. Thanks to these
programs, deforestation has been cut down. The unused land acreage has
been reduced. The cover rate of forest has also been increasing.
Therefore, the life standard of people living in coastal sand,
mountainous and forestry areas has been improved.
Since becoming the
member of UNCCD, a range of laws relating to Combating Desertification
has been promulgated as new laws i.e. Law on Natural Resources 1999; Law
on Land 2003, Law on Forest Protection and Development 2004; Law on
Environment Protection 2005. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development has been assigned by the Government as the national office
for the implementation of UNCCD. The Prime Minister has already decided
to establish the National Coordination Committee with the participation
of relevant Ministries and branches. Beside National Coordination
Committee, Science and Technology Advisory Group including various
experts in the fields of pedology, forestry, water management, water
resources, agriculture and forest extension; hydrometeorology and
environment as well as representatives of UNDP, LUCN, World Bank,
UNESCAP has been established.
Viet Nam has formulated a National Action Plan (NAP) to Combat
Desertification 2002-2010. National Action Plan has already been
adjusted for the period 2006-2010 with the orientation up to 2020. The
NAP is closely linked with a number of key strategies such as the Viet
Nam’s Agenda 21 on sustainable development orientation, the national
strategy on environmental protection, the national strategy on forestry,
the national strategy on comprehensive development and poverty
alleviation . The major objectives of the NAP are: to improve forest
management; to strengthen land use and management and to enhance water
resource management and mitigate drought impacts. Responding to the
urgent needs of local communities in the drought prone areas, the four
priority areas identified in NAP are: the Central coastal provinces, the
Northwest provinces, Long Xuyên quadrangle and the Central Highlands. At
present, there are 50 programs and projects on combating desertification
including some national target programs such as Five million ha
reforestation program, projects on irrigation, water resource
management, reducing the impact of draught and improving the land using
methods. Many projects have been supported by international
organizations such as WB, ADB, KFW, JBIC, JICA and SNV. Viet Nam is
working to establish a country program partnership for Sustainable Land
Management (SLM) funded by the World Bank, the Global Environmental Fund
(GEF) and the Trust Fund for Forests (TFF). As of March 2003, a separate
operational program on sustainable land management was initiated by GEF.
This is quite important milestone for reinforcing the support from
international communities for fighting against desertification in
Vietnam. Since 2003 GEF has officially acknowledged that land
degradation and forest loss is one of 6 sectors in priority list of the
Fund. Other bilateral and multilateral agencies such as UNDP, UNEP, GTZ,
KOICA and LUCN have been working with the Government to formulate and
implement projects on Land Degradation and Desertification.
Every year, 17th
June is considered as International Day of Desertification. On the
occasion of 10th anniversary of UNCCD Convention, United
Nation mobilized the celebration for International Year of
Desertification 2006 with the logo and message: “The beauty of desert –
and the challenges of desertification”
Since being member
of United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification, Viet Nam has been
carrying various national activities which make great contribution to
combating desertification and land degradation; reducing impact of
draughts and protecting natural resources and environment in Vietnam.
Con Dao National
Park
Con Dao National
Park is located in Con Dao District, Ba Ria – Vung Tay Province in the
South of Vietnam. It is made up of 16 big and small islands and the
territorial waters around islands.
Total natural area
of Con Dao National Park is about 19,990.7 ha including 5,990.7 ha of
islands and 14,000 ha of water area around the islands. There are two
functional subdivisions located in national forest including 4,272.7 ha
strict protection subdivision and 1,718 ha ecology rehabilitation
subdivision. The resources of flora and fauna in Con Dao National Park
are quite abundant and diverse. Vein flora system has 1.077 species from
640 lines, 60 families and 6 different branches. Especially, there are
44 species with geographical names as “Con Dao” such as Con Son Amoora
poulocondorensis, Con Son Psychotria condorensis, Con Son Dipterocarpus
condorensis. Three are 160 species of animals from 64 families, 32
groups, 4 classes including 29 species of mammals, 85 species of birds,
38 species of reptiles and 8 species of amphibians.
In Con Dao
National Park, 60 ha of coastal protection casuarinas forest have been
planted. 572 ha of reforestation have been assigned to 4 collective
units.
At present, Con
Dao National Park has been under good management, the protection
capacity of forest has been promoted, especially, the store of
freshwater resource for the life in island district has been maintained.
With regards to fire prevention and fighting issue in Con Dao National
Park, forest fire fighting force has been established with the
participation of local people in coordination with military and public
security force. Propaganda programs have been carried out for local
people and also introduced in schools with the aim of improving the
consciousness about forest protection.
Regarding the
task of reforestation and repairing the damage caused by Linda hurricane
1997, the forest cover has increased from 81.7% after the hurricane up
to 86.8% in 2005. According to casuarinas afforestation for coastal
protection forest, the sapling plants have grown well and timely covered
the space caused by the hurricane. The race plants have grown rapidly,
especially the seed reproduction plants such as coastal casuarinas
plants which are somehow about 6-7m high.
Con Dao National
Park has implemented 14 coordination researches under 5 million ha
afforestation Project which mainly concentrate on rehabilitation of
precious and rare animals and plants such as: (1) Research on the method
for rehabilitating Chukrasia tabularis on the areas affected by the Lida
hurricane in 1997, (2) Caring and monitoring the growth of segment fruit
plants in Hon Cau. (3) Survey on the quantity and varieties of medicinal
herbs, (4) Making survey and moving Cycas (thiên tuế), (5) Survey on the
distribution of Manikara hexandra (Găng Néo).
(6) Survey on bird species in Con Dao, (7) Survey on Ratufa bicolor
condorensis (Sóc Đen) in Con Dao, (8) Survey on Nicoba pigeon,
(9) The program on enticement and experimental breeding of
Maccaca fascicularis (Khỉ đuôi dài)
(1O) Experimental breeding of Gecko, (1 1) Experimental breeding of
Callosciunis filaysoni (Sóc Mun) (12) Breeding red-faced monkey (13)
Planting and taking care of some species of orchids, (14)
Experimentally raising the breeds of some medicinary herbs species. The
themes have made a great contribution to the preservation of natural
resources especially the precious and rare species, and environment
protection.
The experimental
research program on rehabilitating Chukrasia tabularis (Lát hoa Côn Đảo)
carried out by Southern Sub-Institute for Forest Planning in
co-ordination with Con Dao National Park by applying natural
regeneration promotion method shows good result. From this program, it
is shown that Chukrasia tabularis A.Juss (Lát
Hoa) has grown very well. Especially, according to the result of
replanting method, the ratio of alive plants reaches 99% and they grow
well. The ecological afforestation program in So Ray area also has very
good result. Total planting forest area in this So Ray is 20ha with 17
species of endemic, precious and rare plants and other fruit plants.
Total number of plants is 8.000 ones. The objective of this program is
to preserve gene resources of precious and rare plants in Con Dao. Also,
fruit plants will create food source for animal species.
The activities of
forest protection and development in 2006 - 2010.
In the period
of 2006 - 2010, the objective of management task over forest protection
in Con Dao National Park is to invest in the following activities: to
define and set up landmarks for the national park; to invest in
upgrading protection station system and protection patrol ways; to
further invest in forest fire prevention and fighting equipments.
Beside, propaganda task will also be concentrated on.
With regards to
ecological rehabilitation: assignment for protection management will be
carried out for 1.137 ha as well as localization for rehabilitation in
combination with supplementary afforestation in poor area in ecological
rehabilitation sub-division which is 748 ha.
The scientific
research programs include: following up, monitoring the forest
rehabilitation process; making research on rehabilitation of precious
and rare plants species; making survey on the members and building
sample insect class; proposing the 5 Million Ha Afforestation Project in
order to support Con Dao National Park in building 3- region North,
Central, South orchard in Hang Duong Cemetery for collecting wooden
plant species originated from natural forests in three regions. This
will attach the value of forest resources with Con Dao’s historical
significance. This works will have great significance in preserving and
bringing into play the cultural and historical value of Con Dao as well
as making contribution in protecting biodiversity and scientific
research.
Con Dao is one
of the National Parks in Vietnam. Forest resources in Con Dao National
Park are not only diverse in quantity, species but also have special
characteristics of island area. The project on forest protection and
development in Con Dao National Park in the period 2006-2010 under the 5
million ha afforestation project confirm again the significance of
biological resources in the forest as well as improve the forest’s
function in protecting, preserving environment. This also makes
contribution to preserving gene resources of precious and rare fauna and
flora, especially the species originated from Con Dao.
The three
decreases and three increases program in agricultural production
Today, “three
decreases and three increases” program can be considered as the widely
applied one with high effectiveness. “Three decreases and three
increases” program means reducing the quantity of direct seeding
varieties, nitrogenous fertilizers, pesticide and increasing
productivity, quality and economic effect.
On 07 April 2006,
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development promulgated the Directive
No 24/2006/CT-BNN on strengthening the implementation of this program.
Followings are the contents of the Directive:
1. To establish
the Steering Committee for guiding the implementation of “three
decreases and three increases” program at all levels. Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development shall establish the Central Steering
Committees at local areas. Provincial Steering Committee shall be
established by the Director of Agriculture and Rural Development.
District Steering Committee shall be established by the Chairman of
People’s Committee of the District. Commune Steering Committee shall be
established by the Chairman of People’s Committee of the Commune.
2.
To strengthen
the training activities on measures, techniques relating to “three
decreases and three increases” for technicians and farmers as well as to
establish “three decreases and three increases” model/ field for the
paddy. Department of Plant Protection shall co-ordinate with Department
of Plantation, National Agriculture Extension Centre in organizing
training courses for technicians at provincial level; National
Agriculture Extension Centre shall co-ordinate and guide the Agency of
Plant Protection, Provincial National Agriculture Extension Centre in
organizing training courses for farmers as well as deploying the models
at local areas. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall
provide guidance to Agency of Plant Protection in co-coordinating with
Provincial National Agriculture Extension Centre for the organization,
deployment and monitoring the establishment of “three decreases and
three increases” model/ field for the paddy as well as organizing
on-the-job training courses for the farmers.
3. To deploy
experimental research on “three decreases and three increases” on the
paddy and other plants. Research Institutes will co-ordinate with
specialized Departments (Plantation, Plant Protection, Processing of
Agricultural and Forestry Products, Salt Industry, Water resources) in
improving and complementing the suitable technical measures for each
ecological area, especially the measure on saving water, reducing loss
after harvest for paddy and building procedure for other planting
(maize, soya, nut…). Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
shall provide guidance to Agency of Plant Protection in co-coordinating
with Provincial National Agriculture Extension Centre for the building
of model applying research results as well as introduction and training
for farmers.
4. To introduce,
disseminate the knowledge and instruct the applied measures for farmers:
Department of Agriculture & Rural Development shall provide guidance to
Agency of Plant Protection in co-coordinating with Provincial National
Agriculture Extension Centre and mass media for introduction,
popularization of good examples at local level.
5. Annual budget
for the implementation shall be extracted from agriculture extension
budget. Department of Plant Protection shall co-ordinate with Department
of Plantation in making budget estimation for the training courses of
staffs at provincial level, introduction task, research on the fields
growing paddy and other plants. Department of Science and Technology
shall arrange the budget for Research Institutes for improving technical
procedure in suitable channels.
6. The task of
summation, commend and reward: By the end of each production crop,
Provincial Steering Committee shall be responsible for making report on
the implementation result of the program and submit to Central Steering
Committee in order to timely encourage, reward the organizations and
individuals who have done well to rectify the others. Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development require the Director of Agriculture
and Rural Development in provinces/cities to implement effectively the
above tasks.
“Three decreases
and three increases” program has been deployed on over the country with
the suitable scale and contents to farming habits and ecological
conditions of each region. The effectiveness of the program has been
confirmed based on the practical production. Areas applying this program
have been gradually on the rise.
In Cuu Long River
Delta, in winter-spring crop 2005-2006, about 30% of cultivation area
applied this program. “Three decreases and three increases” rice fields
have also been built in the Central provinces. The cultivation areas
applying “three decreases and three increases” program enjoyed higher
productivity compared to other rice fields. Average added income is one
million VND/ha. Especially, the density of
nilaparvata lugens (rầy) in the rice fields applying the program is 2-3
times lower as others. This helps to reduce pressure in using chemicals
for killing nilaparvata lugens. In the northern provinces, up to now,
hundreds of training courses at different scales have been organized for
plant protection technicians and farmers about the deployment method of
“three decreases and three increases” program . More than 3,000
models with the area of around 2,000 ha in provinces located in Red
River Delta and Fourth Zone (former) have been built in order to
introduce and encourage farmers for the application.
“Three decreases
and three increases” program has been deployed effectively and suitable
to the conditions of rice production in each area. For rice fields
applying the model, the cost for nitrogenous fertilizers, pesticide has
been reduced and rice productivity has been increased. This makes
contribution to producing clean agricultural products, protecting
environment and the heath of community.
THE APPLICATION OF
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM AND REMOTE SENSING IN AGRICULTURE,
FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION IN VIETNAM
By now, Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote sensing
are widely used in the field of national defense, security, economy and
especially, agriculture and rural development.
In
agriculture industry, the research theme at national level namely
KC-07-03 “Building and utilizing database for the development of
agriculture and rural areas’ implemented by
National Institute of Agricultural Planning and Projection (NIAPP) is
one of the GIS applications in agriculture projection. The objective of
this theme is to establish uniform agriculture and rural database on GIS
background (uniform in terms of format, co-ordinates and data structure
including geographical and non-geographical data) in relation to
information analysis models so as to support the planning and projection
process for the use of natural resources and sustainable development.
NIAPP has already applied GIS in making surveys for classifying,
analysing the land use effect, making land map, interpreting photographs
from airplane, remote sensing, making maps for agriculture. GIS
softwares have also been applied to establish database for agriculture
information system.
With regard to forestry industry in Vietnam, the program : « Checking
the projection of three types of forest » has been carried out in order
to support the implementation of Project : « Stable planning and
defining territorial area for protection and special-use forest » which
will be submitted to the Government for approval. In this program, GIS
has been applied effectively. Altitude map and slope map have been made
by using GIS sofwares from the tophography map of mountainous areas.
These maps have been put overlap with earth map and rain map to
calculate the important protection level, less important protection
level on the basis of this theorical protection map in combination with
field surveys, living conditions, economic conditions and remote sensing
images. As the result, protection areas will be decided.
In Vietnam Forest Inventory and Planning Institute
(FIPI), GIS, Remote Sensing and Global Positioning System (GPS) have
been applied quite sucessfully in monitoring the happenings and
evaluating forest resources. Based on high-resolution sattelite pictures
after being interpreted, put overlap, compared with available forest
maps, the contradictionary areas will be determined for field checking
with GPS.
Department of Forest Management under Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development has also applied GIS and Remote Sensing for monitoring and
warning forest fire.
Vietnam Institute for Water Resources Planning has applied GIS
technology in various planning projects. The most recent application is
to use MIKE 11 Basic Hydrodynamic Modelling in Red River Planning
Project. This helps the planners to display the scenes of using water
resources in the future in quick and clear manner.
Nowadays, Remote Sensing – GIS technologies have also been applied in
forecasting seashore and river bank slide in Vietnam. Water Rsources
University has applied GIS – Remote sensing technologies in evaluating
the river-bed changes in lower sections of Thu Bon River. Since then, it
is possible to put forth some orientations for reducing erosion and
changes in river-bed. This Universtiy has also applied various types of
mathematic models and GIS system in forecasting flood for the delta
areas near big rivers in the Central in order to minimize the impact of
natural calamities and flood for local people.
With the application of GIS, the Southern Institute for Water Resources
Science has built database for the management task and exploitation of
water resource in Cuu Long River Delta.
Dike Mangement and Flood, Storm Control Department has provided guidance
in building basic database management program on dike system on the
computer with GIS technology. The program has been applied effectievely
in natural calamities control and reduction. For example, the management
officials can monitor the breakdown works and repaired works every year
as well as cross-section of topography and geology in order to provide
support for dike repair and upgrading.
At present, Vietnamese Government has gradually taken interest in the
application of information technology in general and GIS – Remote
Sensing in particular. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has
been assigned by the Prime Minister to be a presiding organization for
the Project : Establishment of Natural Resources and Environment
Monitoring System in Vietnam through Remote Sensing Center with the
participation of many other Ministries and branchs including Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development. Among 15 clue units of this Projects,
there are three organizations under Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development including National Institute of Agricultural Planning and
Projecting (NIAPP), Vietnam Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI)
and Irrigation Science Institue. This Project has been supported by the
Government of France in the form of ODA. The tasks of this Project is to
ensure the receiving, processing, providing sattelite images and
developing the application for many branches in Vietnam ; and, to
operate Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring System by
settelite images in Vietnam.
The remotely
sensed imagery products will be processed in the digital topographic
background which is uniform all over the country. These images will be
handed over to Remote Sensing Centre and the other units can use this
result. This will help save a considerable expense for State Budget.
For the Project : « Application of information technology for
industrialization, modernization of agriculture and rural development »
(the first stage) by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Data
Integration Center will be established for integrating GIS database of
the ogranizations operating in agriculture and rural development.
In Vietnam, GIS
and Remote Sensing technologies have been applied quite early at
different levels. Up to now, these technologies have been applied in
agriculture and forest planning, forest management, topographic data
inventory, cartology, urban management in water resources industry.
However, the most effective applications have been just limited to
storing and printing map documentation. GIS application in management,
operation, decision supporting is only at experimental stage and it
takes time and investment for being introduced as official application.
