EXPERIENCE IN IMPLEMENTING LAND EXCHANGE AND FOREST TRANSFER FOR ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES FROM STATE-OWNED AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTRY LAND FUNDS TRANSFERRED TO LOCALITIES
On December 11, 2023, within the framework of the project “Enhancing Access to and Use of Land and Forests for Ethnic Minority Communities,” funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented in Lao Cai and Kon Tum provinces from 2020 to 2023, CISDOMA collaborated with the Vietnam National University of Forestry and other implementing partners to organize a specialized workshop on “Experience in Implementing Land Exchange and Forest Transfer for Ethnic Minority Communities from State-Owned Agricultural and Forestry Land Funds Transferred to Localities.” The workshop attracted approximately 100 participants, including delegates from Central Government agencies, provincial and district levels of Kon Tum and Lao Cai provinces, representatives from agricultural and forestry sectors, district forest protection offices, delegates from 8 communes and 20 communities where the project was implemented, project implementing units, representatives from non-governmental organisations such as DAI and MRLG, and notably, the presence of the University Council, Board of Rectors, and lecturers from the Vietnam National University of Forestry.
The workshop was honoured to welcome distinguished delegates including current and former leaders from central government agencies and departments, as well as provincial leaders from Lao Cai and Kon Tum provinces. Among those in attendance were Mr. Hua Duc Nhi, Chairman of the Vietnam Forest Owners Association and former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Mr. Trieu Van Binh, Deputy Head of the Ethnic Minority Affairs Department, Office of the National Assembly; Ms. Hoang Thi Van Anh, former Head of the Land Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; Mr. Bui Quang Hung, Chairman of the Farmers’ Association of Lao Cai Province; Mr. Nong Van Ngoc, Head of the Ethnic Minority Committee of Lao Cai Province; and Mr. Lai Duc Hieu, Head of the Forest Use and Development Division, Kon Tum Forest Protection Department.
Mr. Trieu Van Binh serves as the Deputy Director of the Ethnic Minority Affairs Department at the Office of the National Assembly.
Professor Dr. Pham Van Dien, the principal of the institution, attended the workshop and delivered the opening speech. He outlined the historical formation and roles of agricultural and forestry sectors in Vietnam throughout different periods. He emphasized the shift towards sustainable multi-value exploitation of agricultural land and stressed the timeliness and relevance of the workshop’s topic.
In his opening remarks, Professor Dr. Pham Van Dien, the Principal of the Vietnam National University of Forestry
Under the co-chairmanship of Associate Professor Dr. Phung Van Khoa, Vice Rector of the Vietnam National University of Forestry, and Mr. Trieu Van Binh, Deputy Head of the Ethnic Minority Affairs Department at the Office of the National Assembly, the workshop was successfully organized. It featured presentations and discussions on 12 papers and speeches, 5 policy recommendations, and 15 rounds of discussions and feedback on topics related to land policies for ethnic minority communities, the process of land and forest allocation to communities, lessons learned, and outcomes from land and forest allocation to ethnic minority communities in various localities. Within the workshop’s framework, the implementation results of the “Enhancing Access to and Use of Land and Forests for Ethnic Minority Communities” project, along with practical experiences and policy recommendations derived from its implementation in Kon Tum and Lao Cai provinces, were summarized and presented.
Ms. Tran Thi Thuy, the Forest Community Management Board Leader in Na Loc Village, Khanh Yen Thuong Commune, Van Ban District, Lao Cai
After the workshop, the feedback and suggestions from experts, local representatives, and community participants will be incorporated into the project’s next steps. 1) Enhancing and refining the Pilot Process of Land and Forest Allocation; the project will integrate and further develop the pilot process with stakeholder participation and feedback, promoting its application in suitable areas. 2) Policy Recommendations on Land for Ethnic Minority Communities; discussions on policy recommendations regarding land for ethnic minority communities will continue. Project implementing units will collaborate with relevant partners to promote these recommendations in the development of national and provincial laws and policies concerning land for ethnic minority communities. These actions aim to ensure that the insights gained from the workshop contribute effectively to ongoing initiatives and future policy frameworks supporting ethnic minority communities in accessing and managing land resources sustainably.
