Environmental policy and administrative management

Desertification (according to the World Meteorology Organization 1994) is the degradation of ecosystems and spreading of a desert environment in arid, semi-arid and semi-wet places. The process of desertification manifests itself in intensification of aridity, lack of humidity, accumulation of salts in the earth, decrease in fertility of land, decrease in vegetative cover, change in species and expansion of sand banks or the encroachment of mobile sand dunes. Nowadays, desertification is a global process and is a pressing environmental problem in Vietnam. Ha Tinh has 137 km of coast, running from C a H i to o Ngang. The sand dunes and sandy land in the coast of Ha Tinh have an area of 78000 ha, constituting 11.9% of the total natural land area in the whole province. Ha Tinh coast is a barren area, with little potential to generate income and very harsh weather conditions. Ha Tinh coastal sand dunes in general and Thach Ha district in particular belong to the coastal sandy hot deserts with semi-bushes. The exploitation of Inmenit ore, Zinc ore and aquaculture on sand disregards the responsibility for environmental protection, together with the phenomenon of displaced sand, running sand due to wind and rain, filling up the rice field, accelerating the process of desertification, especially for areas without the system of protective forests. Every year, the province has 60 ha more of once-arable land that has been covered with sand and rendered unproductive. Due to unfavorable natural conditions, the standard of living of the people here is low, with poverty rate at approximately 50% (to 2001 benchmark), many people have to leave their homeland to work elsewhere. Therefore, the sustainable economic development of the fallow sandy coast of Ha Tinh using suitable models is the best way to ensure social security. On the other hand, the direction of economic-social development of Ha Tinh province up to the year 2010 overlooks the economic development of agriculture and forestry of part of the coastal rural residents. Majority of the area of fallow sandy land has not been utilized effectively. Therefore, there is a need for an extensive, comprehensive and synchronous development strategy, step-wise supporting the people in developing models to improve coastal fallow land, limitting the arable land degradation and desertification, stabilizing the livelihood of the people in the sandy areas, helping to eliminate poverty, protect the environment and ensure social security in the coastal areas Goal of the project: Aiming for the sustainable development of the territory, restricting and preventing the desertification and improving sandy land on Ha Tinh coast from the area of Cua Sot to Cua Nhuong, helping to raise quality of life for the people in the coastal areas. Specific objectives: - To evaluate the state of degradation of land and desertification of Ha Tinh coast (from Cua Sot to Cua Nhuong), including Thach Van and Thach Dinh communes. - To propose, design and construct the demonstration model of eco-village (cluster of residence) on the fallow land of Thach Van commune, Thach Ha district - To upgrade,supplement and amend the model to prevent and counter land degradation and desertification at Thach Dinh. Relocate some households to Trang Chay area - Evaluate the results of the model, draw and sum up experiences, edit according to the transfer guideline papers, recommend to the locality related policies in order to support the community and the people in multiplying the applied model for other localities in the area from Cua Sot to Cua Nhuong Main activities: - Field work, collecting materials, drafting up reports on the current state of desertification - Construct demonstration model of eco-villages on the fallow land of a 60-ha area with 14 participating households - Communal training on technical measures like land improvement, cultivation techniques for plants in agriculture and forestry, fruit trees, subsidiary crops, rearing of rabbits, cows, pigs, chicken, freshwater fish. - Develop literature for the project like guide to design, construct and deploy the model of sustainable economic development on fallow sand dunes - Organize seminars at the level of communes, district, province, areas to share experiences in order to support the multiplication of the model

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