Forest Protection and Medicinal Cultivation Emphasized in Vietnam's Amendment Draft
Vietnam to enforce regulations on forest-grown medicinal herbs, aiming for sustainable rural development
In a recent meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha underscored the importance of sustainable forest protection through community-based approaches, with a focus on medicinal herb cultivation.
Living up to the name, Ha highlighted the crucial link between socio-economic development and forest conservation, stressing that preserving the environment requires stable livelihoods for local communities residing in woodland areas.
Chaired by the Deputy PM, the meeting aimed at refining the draft amendment to Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP on forestry law implementation. The upcoming changes will introduce legal definitions of medicinal plants and clarify the harvesting process for these valuable resources.
In concrete terms, the amendment will outline procedures for the approval or adjustment of forest-based herb cultivation plans and outline legal mechanisms for leasing forest environments for medicinal cultivation. A set of detailed regulations will follow, addressing ongoing challenges in order to prevent unregulated exploitation and safeguard forest quality and biodiversity.
As part of this plan, the government aims to develop a legal framework for the development of herbal farming regions, construction of geographical indication systems, and branding of locally grown medicinal products.
Provincial leaders expressed support for this initiative, with Lai Chau Vice Chairman Ha Trong Hai advocating for exemptions on leasing fees in disadvantaged areas to foster participation and create job opportunities among ethnic groups. Quang Nam Vice Chairman Phan Thai Binh urged the government to expand the list of forest types eligible for medicinal cultivation to ensure broader participation and greater economic opportunities for local communities.
Additionally, the amendment seeks to support socio-economic development programs, including Vieht Nam's ginseng development strategy, and create internationally standardized, export-ready herbal value chains. Deputy Finance Minister Bui Van Khang suggested framing medicinal herb cultivation as a tool for forest development and proffered technical and economic criteria for attracting investment in the sector.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has been tasked with refining the decree based on feedback from provinces, ensuring that it fosters sustainable, multi-purpose use of forest lands and resources. Strict regulations are to be established for activities involving protected forests, with different policies to be applied based on regional socio-economic conditions and infrastructure capacity.
For buffer zones, detailed regulations should outline permitted plant species and farming methods, while core conservation zones require controlled harvesting quotas and safeguards for naturally growing herbs. To incentivize community-enterprise partnerships, the decree proposes preferential treatment for machinery, technology, credit, land use, and facilities such as warehouses and processing plants.
Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà speaks at the meeting on Tuesday. - VNA/VNS Photo
Streamlining implementation, the decree will clearly define administrative procedures and responsibilities under the decentralized governance framework. Digital technology will streamline post-audit management, eliminating the need for additonal legal documents.
Innovative measures included the development of an insurance mechanism for medicinal plant cultivation in remote areas and the allocation of tasks to relevant forest protection funds. Geographical indications, herb zone maps, and e-commerce platforms will serve to bridge the gap between local growers and the global market, creating value for both producers and processors.
- Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized the need for sustainable forest protection, highlighting the link between socio-economic development and forest conservation.
- The meeting aimed to refine the draft amendment to Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP, focusing on medicinal plant definitions and harvesting processes.
- The amendment outlines procedures for approving forest-based herb cultivation plans and leasing forest environments for medicinal cultivation.
- The government aims to develop a legal framework for herbal farming regions, geographical indication systems, and branding of locally grown medicinal products.
- Deputy Finance Minister Bui Van Khang suggested framing medicinal herb cultivation as a tool for forest development.
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has been tasked with refining the decree, ensuring sustainable, multi-purpose use of forest lands and resources.
- Streamlining implementation, the decree will utilize digital technology to streamline post-audit management and develop an insurance mechanism for medicinal plant cultivation in remote areas.
