On January 15, 2021, Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) in collaboration with the People's Committee of Thuan Chau District and Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection of Son La province held a kick-off workshop of the project "Mitigation and adaption to climate change in the agricultural and forestry sector of the north-western highlands” funded by Bread for the World (BfdW). The project is implemented in 4 communes: Muoi Noi, Bon Phang, Nam Lau, Chieng Pha of Thuan Chau district, Son La province for a period of 3 years from 2021 to 2023.

The goal of the project is to contribute to minimizing the adverse effects of climate change and improving capacity to adapt to climate change in the agricultural and forestry sector for the communities in Thuan Chau district, Son La province.

There were 65 attendants from agencies and departments in Son La province, including Mr. Nguyen Van May - Deputy Director of Department of Foreign Affairs of Son La province, Mr. Lo The Thi - Deputy Director of Provincial Forest Protection Sub-Department, Ms. Pham Thi Lan - Deputy Director of Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection of Son La province and Vice Chairman of Thuan Chau District People's Committee - Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hoang, and the representatives of the Divisions  in Thuan Chau district and representatives of four project communes.

From the side of SRD, Mrs. Vu Thi Bich Hop – Executive Director, Mr. Nguyen Phu Hung and Mrs. Nguyen Kim Ngan - Deputy Director of SRD and the project’s staff participated in the workshop.

Speaking at the workshop, Mrs. Vu Thi Bich Hop gave her thanks to the Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, Thuan Chau District People's Committee and representatives of the communes for their support in the planning and implementation of the project. She also expressed her happiness sharing that: In the context of climate change (CC) heavily affecting localities of Vietnam, especially in the north-western highlands, NGOs are constantly calling for funding from international organizations for climate change adaptation projects. SRD is delighted to have called for funding from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development through Bread for the World (BfdW) for the project in Thuan Chau district. SRD hopes that, following the first stage’s achievements on agro-biodiversity conservation and development, in this new phase with new areas, it is expected that the project will contribute new values to the community, not only for the present but also for future generations.

Mrs. Vu Thi Bich Hop - SRD's Executive Director

The specific objectives of the project are: (1) Enhancing climate-friendly and adaptive agricultural systems; (2) Mitigating negative impacts of climate change through effective management of community forests; (3) Climate change adaptation and mitigation practices integrated into policies and funding allocated by the government - Mrs. Hoang Thi Sen - Project Manager of SRD Centre shared about the activities project and expectations at the meeting workshop.

Mrs. Hoang Thi Sen - Project's Manager

The workshop also recorded opinions from the representatives of Departments, Sub-departments and project communes.

Representing Son La Provincial Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, Ms. Pham Thi Lan commented that: It was a pleasure for the Sub-Department in the years from 2018 to 2020 to have coperated with SRD to implement the first phase of the project. The results are impressive, with two indigenous Tan sticky rice varieties have been rehabilitated, 270 households have been supported to apply climate-smart rice cultivation method, sustainable coffee has been initially cultivated. All households highly appreciate the effectiveness of the project and the introduced models. Regarding the second phase, Ms. Lan said: In recent years, the weather situation has been going on very complicatedly in Son La province and Thuan Chau district, for example, in 2016, it was frozen and frosty. The production area has been reduced by more than 6000 ha, even in 2020, cold rain and erratic frost have also greatly affected the agricultural production. It can be seen that climate change is a very concerning issue. Son La Provincial People's Committee has also issued a number of sustainable production plans, some organic production models have been applied with more than 200 hectares of organic production has been recognized, agricultural cooperation model has been promoted. Since we find that the project framework is very suitable to the local agricultural production situation, the Department commits to work closely with the District People's Committee and SRD Centre to implement the proposed project contents.

Ms. Pham Thi Lan - Deputy Head of Son La Provincial Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection

Mr. Lo The Thi - Deputy Director of Son La Provincial Forest Protection Sub-Department said that FPSD is pleased to cooperate with SRD to implement the project. Provincial FPSD has experience in implementing a number of projects on climate change of JAICA, worldwide water projects, USA projects, etc. FPSD is fully supportive of the project being implemented in Thuan district and the Sub-Department will assign tasks for Thuan Chau Special-Use Forest Management Board and the district Forest Protection Sub-Department to collaborate with the stakeholders in implementing the project.

Mr. Lo The Thi - Deputy Director of Son La Provincial Forest Protection Sub-Department 

On the side of Thuan Chau District People's Committee, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hoang - Vice Chairman of District People's Committee said that: The poverty rate in the district is 32%, which is the highest in the whole province. The district has also imposed policies and guidelines towards Green - Clean - Organic agricultural development in order to protect the environment and to respond best to climate change. However, the area of ​​forest covered in the district is not as expected, so implementation of the second phase project is going to include the DPC’s assistance in achieving the dual goal of conducting agricultural models that adapt to climate change and agroforestry models, bettering forest protection and management to combat climate change in the province.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hoang - Vice Chairman of Thuan Chau District People's Committee

Representing the four project communes, Mr. Lo Van Thuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Muoi Noi commune shared that: Before starting the second phase of the project, Muoi Noi and Bon Phang were the two project areas of the first phase, with the coordination of SRD centre, Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection has supported farmers with techniques and project activities very well. In phase 2, the Commune People's Committee expects the District Departments and branches and SRD to create conditions for the locality to be supported in implementing the project activities. The first step could be very difficult because climate change is a significant challenge that has an unpredictable impact on the lives of people. However, if the project is performed well collaboratively, the benefits would be great for local people. We would like to thank the project and the departments together with the unions.

The project’s kick-off workshop successfully ended with the signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding between the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development, the People's Committee of Thuan Chau District, the Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection in Son La Province and the Forest Protection Sub-Department, opening the new implementation period for the project "Mitigation and adaption to climate change in the agricultural and forestry sector of the north-western highlands” in Thuan Chau district from 2021 to 2023, contributing to the process of raising awareness and capacity for local communities in climate change mitigation and adaptation in Son La province in general and the north-western highlands in particular.