Co-management of coastal natural resources in Thanh Phong commune, Thanh Phu district, Ben Tre province Viet Nam. Presenter: Nguyen Van Khang

Transcription

1 Co-management of coastal natural resources in Thanh Phong commune, Thanh Phu district, Ben Tre province Viet Nam Presenter: Nguyen Van Khang Thanh Phong commune people s committee, Thanh Phu district, Ben Tre province

2 CONTENT Overview of the area Objective and approach Climate change adaptation 4 Results and impacts 5 Lesson learnt 2

3 I. INTRODUCTION Co-management area: Thanh Loc & Thanh Loi hamlets, Thanh Phong commune, Thanh Phu district, Ben Tre province. Total commune area: 3,961 ha Mangrove area: 1,221 ha (mostly special-use forest) Local households are contracted for forest management and protection 3

4 I. INTRODUCTION Co-management activities start since June Map of co-management area 4

5 I. INTRODUCTION Environmental issues before Co-management: 1. Forest management and protection Forest was managed individually by households. Households live far from each other and in remote locations; adjacent to dense rivers/canals, not effective in management and protection. Forest loggers were often outsiders and took advantage of the area s remote location. Contracted HHs were not allowed to have any activities in their forest or collect products from it. 5

6 o River and canals limit access to forest and affect forest protection o Mangrove areas between households are difficult to manage and protect 6

7 2. Pollution from shrimp aquaculture on sand dunes: From 2012 to date, approximately 100 shrimp ponds on sand dunes have been developed by private owners. Intensive shrimp ponds nearby Most of these ponds have no treatment ponds for effluent. Intensive shrimp pond nearby 7

8 Wastewater from intensive ponds Disease risks transferred to nearby ponds. Current disease outbreak for both intensive and extensive farming areas. Wastewater from intensive ponds Impacts on vegetable farming households. 8

9 3. Destructive fishing practices: Use of fine mesh fishing nets; Building fish traps with fine mesh nets; Dredging of crab seeds and other species by small boats; Using electric shock equipment; Difficult to control people from outside; Small number of local officers. Catching fish with fine mesh net 9

10 Catching fish with fine mesh nets Building fish trap 10

11 CO-MANAGEMENT AS A WAY TO SOLVE ISSUES THAT THE COMMUNITIES ARE FACING 11

12 II. APPROACH Consult with communities and their elders on their concerns; Consult with local authorities and related departments; Negotiation between local community stakeholders and authorities on the solutions; Visit and learn from other models implemented in Mekong Delta 12

13 II. APPROACH Consultations with community elders Consultations with community stakeholder groups 13

14 II. APPROACH Consultations with local people Consultations with local authority 14

15 II. APPROACH Meeting to consult with related departments Participants openly sharing thoughts in meeting 15

16 III. CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION Natural resources co-management ensures a diversity of options are available for climate change adaptation by: ensuring mangrove forest areas are well managed and protected. ensuring aquatic resources are conserved for sustainable use. 16

17 III. CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION Reducing disease risks in aquaculture, increasing farming productivity, improving local livelihoods and increasing people s income. Local communities in co-management area will benefit from better management of natural resources and improve their resilience in climate change. 17

18 IV. RESULTS AND IMPACTS 1. Results Co-management facilitation group is formed Have identified 03 main natural resource management problems Communities in Thanh Loc and Thanh Loi hamlets have developed Co-management agreements 18

19 IV. RESULTS AND IMPACTS 1. Results The Co-management agreement is being revised based on consultation and negotiation between local communities and stakeholders, and provincial authorities; Strong support from local and provincial authorities/departments. 19

20 IV. RESULTS AND IMPACTS 2. Impacts Help to raise awareness of communities on natural resources protection; Draw more attention from local people on aquatic resources and get proposals from them on protecting these resources; People are more aware of need for effluent treatment in shrimp farming; 20

21 V. LESSONS LEARNT Co-management is a new concept to Viet Nam, particularly in Ben Tre province; Issues and difficulties in natural resources management are complicated and related to many different stakeholders, which might be complex in overlaps and cross-sectoral. Local living conditions are still poor, forest has become less biodiverse with low livelihood value; therefore pressures on natural resources are very high. 21

22 V. LESSONS LEARNT Lesson learnt on process: Jointly identify major issues that communities facing with; Consult with community to acknowledge the exact issues and solutions from the community; Consult with stakeholders to have holistic understanding and discuss and negotiate solutions Develop monitoring system in order to adjust the agreement if new issues arise 22

23 THANK YOU 23