SUFORD sets up 37 sustainable productive forests

SUFORD sets up 37 sustainable productive forests

(KPL) The Sustainable Forestry and Rural Development Project (SUFORD) has established 37 sustainable productive forests, covering 2.4 million ha nationwide over the past four years.
The disclosure was quoted from a summary by Dr Ty Phommasack, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, in a meeting to review the project operation in the last four years, 2004-2008, held at the Lane Xang Hotel yesterday.
The project started its operation in 2004 with a focus on the establishment of conservation forests and rural development countrywide. During the period, the project spent US$16.5 million on its operation in four provinces of Khammouane, Savannakhet, Saravane and Champassak.
In the next three years, the project will extend its operation to five new target provinces of Attapeu, Sekong, Borikhamsay, Sayaboury and Vientiane.
The project will strive to attract financial support from international organisations and friendly countries for its operation in the five provinces, which will focus on setting up eight productive forests in 18 districts and 330 villages, with a total area of 630,000 ha.
The SUFORD with a target operation under the action plan of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, concentrated on sustainable forest management, the market-oriented promotion and the improvement of livelihood conditions in rural villages.
This project is an important part of the socio-economic development in those provinces and improving living conditions.
The SUFORD is a cooperation project of different donors, including the Lao government, the Finnish government and the World Bank, initiated in September 2003 and operated in March 2004.