Environment and Biodiversity Conservation

Environment and Biodiversity Conservation

Environmental protection is an important area of work for CECAD because local minorities are in most cases are highly dependent on natural resources. Therefore CECAD has been continuously implementing conservation projects in order to save natural resources for future generation of local communities and prevent erosion of cultural traditions.

The project “Advancing Biodiversity Conservation and Increasing Incomes through Organic Farming in the Muong Ethnic Minority Communities in Northwest Vietnam” included a campaign to inform farmers and consumers about organic farming and its contribution to biodiversity conservation. Farmers were encouraged to change their agricultural practices to safer organic methods and consumers were informed about where to purchase organic products. The project helped to connect organic farming groups together to monitor quality of produce and increase the quantity of safe vegetables in the market. This campaign resulted in 30 households converting to organic farming and more than 50 regular customers. The project “Sustainable Agriculture and the Muong Ethnic Minority People in the Northwest of Vietnam” aimed to reduce risks from chemicals to human health and the environment through better managing and sustainable use of agricultural, industrial and consumer chemicals. The project promotes sustainable agricultural practices and improves resilience of local communities to climate change.

With the support from VECO Vietnam, CECAD has been working on the project “Vietnam Sub-sector Development – Organic Vegetables Pilot Chain in Tan Lac District, Hoa Binh Province” which aims to create production-marketing link and promotes policy support for the newly established Tan Lac PGS (Participatory Guarantee System). The final goal of the project is to connect the organic farming organization with the private sector in large cities, such as Hoa Binh and Hanoi. As a result of the project, PGS quality assurance will be recognized by the District and Provincial authorities. As a result of the project, PGS quality assurance will be recognized by the District and Provincial authorities. Farmers were encouraged to change their agricultural practices to safer organic methods and consumers were informed about where to purchase organic products. The project helped to connect organic farming groups together to monitor quality of produce and increase the quantity of organic vegetables in the market. This campaign resulted in 30 households converting to organic farming and more than 50 regular customers. As such, the project has created jobs for local people, especially women and girls by participating in organic farming. More importantly, the project promotes sustainable agricultural practices and improves resilience of local communities to climate change.

With the support from ICCO two waste disposal sites were constructed in Tu Ne and Thanh Hoi communes, and two garbage-collecting groups were established in the local communities. At the moment, there are more than 300 households paying a monthly fee for the collection of their rubbish. It is collected from villages on the 12B road, businesses, schools and markets and processed in the area in Tu Ne commune. This has resulted in positive change in the appearance of both communes and aided the environmental development and preservation.

Since the project “Livelihood Improvement, Cultural Identity Preservation and Environmental Protection in  Tu Ne Commune, Tan Lac District, Hoa Binh Province was implemented in 2006-2008, the Water User group (CBO) has worked well and group members follow their regulations. As such, all members of Tu Ne commune have accessed clean water. The water supply is now maintained and protected through the collection and storage of water in the communes. CBO members became aware of the role of upstream forests in the water supply and importance of their conservation and now protect the area to ensure the cleanliness of the water.

The 2015-2016 project “Conservation of Orchids through Research and ex situ Conservation Measures in Ngo Luong Nature Reserve, Vietnam” aims to better conserve critically threatened orchid species in the Ngoc Son – Ngo Luong Nature Reserve. This project includes field survey, ex-situ conservation through developing orchid plantation, and environmental education. For the first phase, the project focuses on Tu Do Commune, which has about 40 species of orchids, many of them are threatened. A Field survey and threat assessment was conducted in collaboration with the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) – a Vietnamese non-government organization (NGO) and staff of the reserve, the local authorities of Tu Do commune and Lac Son district to collect the secondary data/reports/maps as well as related documents produced by other projects carried out in the area. The team also carried out interviews with local people, especially old people who have in-depth knowledge of orchids in the area and heads of the homestays in order to have a better understanding of the household economy as well as the number of tourists who come to this destination and what their interests are.