The Forest Science Centre of North-Eastern Viet Nam (FSNE) held the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Asian Forestry Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) to implement a new project titled, “Improving Pinus caribaea Morelet for plantation on degraded land in Viet Nam’s northern mountainous region”.
Dr. Le Minh Cuong, Director of FSNE and Ms. Nguyen Tuong Van, Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology, and International Cooperation and AFoCO national focal point signed the agreement in Viet Nam during a Signing Ceremony held in early July. The MOU was previously signed by Mr. Chencho Norbu, the Executive Director of AFoCO, in Seoul, South Korea.
Participants of the Signing Ceremony in Viet Nam included Prof. Pham Van Dien, Deputy Director-General of VNForest, Prof. Vo Dai Hai, Director of Vietnam Forest Science Institute, Assoc. Phi Hong Hai, Deputy Director of Vietnam Forest Science Institute, and Dr. Bui Trong Thuy, Deputy Director and Project Director of the FSNE.
The project will apply a value-chain approach that includes the production of high-quality seedlings, development of forest plantations, as well as the processing and marketing of forest products. The project will also develop and replicate demonstration models in localities that have the potential for forestry development, especially in poverty-stricken mountainous provinces, in which the project expects to contribute to income generation and livelihood improvement for local people.
This mutual partnership is in line with AFoCO’s Strategic Priority area in the initiation of customized restoration and reforestation models and is expected to positively impact the development and management of forests in Viet Nam.
Contributed by Nguyen Duy Vuong, AFoCO Fellowship Official from Viet Nam
