Hanoi, 3 September 2025 — The Vietnam National University of Forestry (VNUF), in partnership with the Mekong–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (MKCF) and leading forestry institutions across the Mekong region, today launched a landmark three-year project to promote Climate-Smart Agroforestry (CSAF) for sustainable livelihoods, soil and water conservation, and biodiversity protection.
Running from July 2025 to April 2028, the initiative will establish ten demonstration sites and support two community nurseries in Lai Châu and Nghệ An provinces. By integrating advanced tools such as GIS mapping with traditional ecological knowledge, the project aims to help upland communities diversify income sources, restore degraded landscapes, and adapt to the mounting impacts of climate change.
At the inaugural workshop, Mr. Madhurjya Kumar Dutta, Director of MKCF, underscored the significance of the collaboration, calling it “a timely effort to bring advanced technology and local wisdom together for real, field-level impact.” He highlighted the project’s focus on youth engagement, data-driven monitoring, and regional knowledge exchange as critical to its long-term success.
Project Objectives
The CSAF initiative will deliver concrete, community-driven outcomes through:
- Conducting baseline assessments of existing agroforestry systems and climate vulnerabilities.
- Selecting suitable tree and crop species and developing practical, farmer-friendly guidelines.
- Rolling out capacity-building programs and integrating CSAF into university curricula to train the next generation of forestry professionals.
- Creating a regional academic and community network connecting partners in Viet Nam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and the Republic of Korea.
Provincial leaders from Lai Châu and Nghệ An welcomed the project as aligned with Viet Nam’s new national policy on multi-value forest ecosystem development, while also responding directly to community needs for income generation, soil restoration, and climate resilience.
Representatives from partner institutions—including the National University of Laos, Royal University of Agriculture (Cambodia), Mahasarakham University (Thailand), and the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO, Republic of Korea)—joined in person and virtually, committing technical expertise and policy support.
Dr. Phùng Văn Khoa, Vice President of VNUF, emphasized that the project’s integrated approach will “restore degraded uplands, enhance biodiversity, and strengthen livelihoods across Vietnam and the wider Mekong region through technology transfer, pilot models, and inclusive training.”
Regional and Long-Term Impact
The project brings together local communities, governments, universities, and international organizations in a broad partnership to:
- Pilot scalable CSAF models.
- Strengthen community-based nurseries and seed supply.
- Introduce data-driven monitoring systems.
- Facilitate regional collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Its outcomes will inform agroforestry practices across the Mekong subregion, generating evidence and lessons for scaling up. Crucially, it contributes to Vietnam’s national and regional climate commitments, including the country’s pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
