Viet Nam has a total area of 33.1 million hectares and a population of 96.2 million people, comprising 54 ethnic groups. Viet Nam GLA partners will implement the programme in the Central Highlands (CHs), an area about 400-1,500m above sea level which accounts for 16.5% of the land and 6% of the population. Despite numerous development policies, most IPLCs have poor livelihoods, unsecured and degraded forest resources, and are somewhat marginalized economically, culturally and politically. Women and girls are suffering most from the situation.
The selected landscapes are located in four of the Central Highlands: Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, and Lam Dong provinces with a total area of 4.85 million hectares and about 45% forest cover. Much of the land is the watershed of the Srepok River which plays an important role in local ecosystems, biodiversity, and soil and water protection for lower provinces. At present, deforestation and forest degradation in the CHs is alarming due to agricultural expansion, illegal exploitation, and forestland conversion for other purposes . The CHs are the home of many native peoples including the Jarai, Ede, Bana, K’Ho, and M’nong. These peoples account for 26% of the total 6.2 million people of the CHs. Since 1960, the life of native peoples has been disturbed in terms of environment, culture, and livelihood due to resettlement and biased development policies. At present, IPLCs in CHs are among the poorest people in the country. Unfortunately, the current loss of the forests – the foundation of IPLC’s cultures and livelihoods – exacerbates further the hardship of native peoples.
Vietnam programme
The GLA programme in Viet Nam has three long-term objectives i) IPLCs have their livelihoods sustained ecologically and economically; ii) Local authorities and businesses reduce IPLC’s forestland conversion for other purposes; iii) IPLCs including women and youth are able to participate and voice up in policy decision making process at all levels.
To achieve this, the partners will promote forest land allocation to communities, support local governments and other landscape actors in the sustainable management of their landscapes and in sustainable livelihood development, and empower IPLCs, including women and youth, to participate better in decision-making processes at the landscape and national level.
Progamme partners
Tropenbos Viet Nam expertise lies in agro-forestry models and CFM; PanNature leads on policy L&A, ICCA/CPA, and gender equality and empowerment; NTFP-EP is expert on women-led sustainable livelihoods, community enterprise and value chain development.
