Environmental policy and administrative management

Quang Nam is one of the southern central coastal provinces in Viet Nam. Dry land degradation and droughts have resulted in a large area of barren and waste land. It is a major obstacle for agricultural development in this province. Deforestation and inappropriate agricultural practices over a long time together with the semi-arid climate and weather have caused the problem of land degradation and accelerated the rate of desertification in the region. One of the key solutions to address this problem is to regreen the barren and waste land with a crop structure, which is suitable for the socio-economic and physical conditions of the arid area. The project meets the goal of GEF/SGP by contributing to solving the problem of serious land degradation in the project area. It will be carried out in Binh Trieu Commune, Thang Binh District, Quang Nam Province. The barren coastal land accounts for 38% of the total land area in the commune. The primary purpose of the project is to prevent land degradation and desertification in the project area through developing an agroforestry model which suits the local socio-economic and physical conditions, especially the waste land which has lost agricultural potential, and the semi-arid climate and weather, hence contributing to regreening the area. The project key activities include to establish four (4) eco-eco models on barren coastal land and to transfer technology to the community in sustainable land management and development of eco-eco models. Appropriate crop structure which suits the physical and socio-economic conditions of the area will be introduced. Bentonite and peat sand, the resources which are available and abundant in the project area, will be tested and used together with other techniques in improving soil fertility. The project aims to raise awareness among the local authorities, relevant agencies and community about the issues of land degradation and desertification, and sustainable development. The project models have the large potential to be replicated in other coastal areas in not only Quang Nam Province but also other provinces along the central coast of Viet Nam.

Vietnam