Báo cáo khoa học nông nghiệp " Sustainable community-based forest development and management in some high poverty areas in Bac Kan Province - MILESTONE 10 " pot

CARD 017-06 Milestone 10 report-English.doc-5/28/2010

1

Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

CARD Project Report

017/06 VIE
Sustainable community-based forest development and
management in some high poverty areas in Bac Kan Province




MILESTONE 10
CFM Dissemination Strategy and Implementation





Prepared by
Forest Protection Department of Bac Kan Province
Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry
and
CSIRO Plant Industry

January 2010

CARD 017-06 Milestone 10 report-English.doc-5/28/2010

2
Table of Contents


1 Executive Summary 3
2 Introduction of CFM models to other villages 3
3 Numbers and proportion of potential community members
participating 4

4 Evaluation of adoption of CFM models and financial impacts at
community level 5

CARD 017-06 Milestone 10 report-English.doc-5/28/2010

3

1 Executive Summary
Milestone 10 focuses on dissemination of CFM activities to other villages in the project two
communes of Van Minh and Lang San. The main activities included:

• Introduction of CFM models to at least 10 villages
• Numbers and proportion of potential community members participating
• Evaluation of adoption of CFM models and financial impact at community level.


2 Introduction of CFM models to other villages

The CFM models developed by this CARD project have attracted wide interest from
neighbouring villages both within the two target communes of Van Minh and Lang San as
well as other communes in Na Ri district. Initial introduction of CARD project CFM models
to other villages has been implemented through local workshops and study tour specifically
conducted for villagers of the other 18 villages in the two target communes of Van Minh and
Lang San (cf. MS 9 report, November 2009). This was followed by visits of TUAF staff to
some of these villages to further discuss what activities that could be initiated.

Key villagers of other 18 villages who attended the project workshops and meetings have
expressed interest to replicate the CFM models already in place in the four pilot villages.
Main areas of particular interest were:

• Acquiring red book for village CF lands
• Training in seedling nursery and plantation development
• Provision of quality agricultural crop and tree seed
• Provision of village development fund

However, under the current structure and budget of this CARD project it was not feasible to
use the project own fund to implement all the above proposed tasks. Nevertheless, with
assistance from Na Muc and Khuoi Lieng pilot villages, one village nursery garden and ten
household nursery gardens have recently been established in Na Ngoa and Pac Ban villages
(Van Minh commune). Improved-variety soy bean seed harvested in the pilot-village
agroforestry models was supplied to these two new villages. Although experienced villagers
from pilot villages are busy with their own farm work, more nursery gardens are expected to
be set up in other villages in the coming months.

Dissemination of CARD project CFM models to other 18 villages in Van Minh and Lang San
communes has been boosted by the support from IFAD project and Na Ri District People’s
Committee. In fact Na Ri District People’s Committee also want to see adoption of CARD
CFM models to all other communes in the district with IFAD funding support. CARD project

staff have already started to work with IFAD project staff to replicate CFM models in all
villages with clearly defined community forest. Information from additional village surveys in
other villages (cf. Baseline Surveys of Eleven Neighbour Villages, August 2008) has been
used for preparing appropriate CFM activities, in particular LUP and LA. However, a major
issue that needs to be resolved as a matter of priority is to define the unclear boundaries of
community forest in these villages, without which it is not possible to apply for “Red Book”.
CARD 017-06 Milestone 10 report-English.doc-5/28/2010

4
The process to obtain Red Book is lengthy and outside help (e.g. IFAD and government -
commune and district agencies) is necessary.

There are no problems with the forest lands which have been allocated to households. Most of
the households in the 18 villages are interested to invest in forestry development and
requested training in seedling establishment and agroforestry models. Training activities are
expected to be included in the IFAD project plan.

CARD CFM models will also be adopted by CARE International project in 18 villages of
Thanh Van and Mai Lap communes of Cho Moi district in Bac Kan province. The project has
recently commenced in January 2010 with an emphasis on replication of CFM models
developed by CARD project. As a preparation for the adoption, 70 people comprising CARE
project staff and key villagers visited CARD project sites in Van Minh and Lang San in
November 2009. TUAF staff facilitated and assisted during the visit.

In addition to above dissemination, the implementation of this CARD project has been shown
on Na Ri and Bac Kan television programs on five occasions. This reflects the interest of the
public and values of this CARD project in promoting sustainable forest management and local
livelihood improvement.

3 Numbers and proportion of potential community

members participating
The table below shows the number of households and household forest area in ten other
villages in Van Minh and Lang San communes.

Commune Village
No. of
Households
Natural
forest area
(ha/hhd)
Plantation forest
area
(ha/hhd)
Agricultural
land
(ha/hhd)
Na Dụ 37 10.14 1.04 0.52
Na Reng 28 10.59 0.33 0.43
Pac Lieng 14 4.99 0.04 0.36
Khuoi Tuc 18 14.21 0.64 0.42
Na Piet 28 9.04 1.16 0.67


Van Minh
Pac Ban 22 2.26 0.44 0.66
Cho Moi 76 0.44 0.52 0.24
Phieng Bang 44 0.19 0.69 0.24
Na Riec 50 4.97 0.66 0.53
Ban Ken 44 0.20 0.87 0.33

Lang San
Na Hiu 13 7.65 0.41 0.64

It is not feasible at this stage to confirm the exact number of households who want to
participate in CFM. Initial surveys however indicated that the majority, if not all, of the
households would participate. The on-going activities being implemented in the four pilot
CARD 017-06 Milestone 10 report-English.doc-5/28/2010

5
villages and the positive feedback to date have convinced these communities the benefit from
CFM activities.

Like other village communities in Bac Kan province, forestry activities are now recognised as
a means of income generation for households. Household forest land area is general large
compared to agricultural land. With outside support such as IFAD project there is great
opportunity to the allocated forest land for income generation activities including forestry
development. The project has provided the model for uptake of CFM developing achievable
approaches to CFM starting with LUP/LA. Appropriate technologies have been developed
and applied by the four pilot villages to include nursery skills, agroforestry models, a range of
skills development and understanding of the benefits of improved germplasm for both tree
and agricultural crops.


4 Evaluation of adoption of CFM models and financial
impacts at community level
The adoption of CARD CFM models has been demonstrated as discussed in the Section 2
above. The extent of the adoption has exceeded expectation, especially with the confirmed
support from donors such as IFAD and CARE International. CARD CFM models will be
replicated not only in the two project communes of Van Minh and Lang San in Na Ri district

but also in other communes and districts in Bac Kan province. With the publicity being
generated through occasional visits to project sites by interested parties and televisions, it can
be expected that the models will also be introduced to communes and districts in other
provinces.

The success of this CARD project should be judged by the sustainability of CFM models in
the four pilot villages after the completion of this CARD project at the end of March 2010.
There is sufficient evidence to indicate that this is achievable. Key village members now have
good understanding of the concept of CFM and the importance of participation through many
training activities and study tours, and participation in agroforestry models. Commune leaders
have shown genuine interest in the project activities, and attended project meetings and
discussion with village communities. Cooperation between local communities and local
authorities is good. Continuing support from local authorities is crucial to successful adoption.

It is not feasible to accurately quantify the financial impact at community level at this early
stage of project implementation. There are both direct and indirect financial benefits. Direct
benefit includes payment from participation in CFM activities such as forest protection and
low interest of loan from the project development fund. Indirect benefit includes access to
share of village-nursery seedlings and increased knowledge in nursery and forest plantation
development.