Forest rangers from Yok Đôn National Park in Đắk Lắk Province prepare fire trails to prevent wildfires during the dry season in March. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS — The People’s Council of Đắk Lắk Province has approved an investment worth US$19.53 million to reduce emissions from deforestation in the Central Highlands and south-central coastal region.

Funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the project is part of a programme by the United Nations that aims to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (known as REDD+).

The Đắk Lắk People's Committee will be the project’s governing body, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development the implementing agency.

It will be carried out in 15 communes of the four districts M’Drắk, Ea Kar, Krông Bông and Lắk, and is expected to improve the livelihoods of 24,178 households.

The project's overarching goal is to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation by addressing agricultural and forestry factors, encouraging strategic investments that restore and sustainably manage forest areas, and empowering communities and institutions to improve resilience, reduce poverty and adapt to climate change.

Specific objectives are to support local governments at all levels in developing policies that incorporate national strategies, and achieve them through planning and implementation of measures that reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

The project will also focus on efforts to restore forests and improve people’s livelihoods, and raise community awareness on the issue.

Apart from helping local governments develop policies to address difficulties in the use of forest land for production, the project will also help farmers build and promote value chains for products that do not lead to deforestation.

It also aims to ensure sustainable agricultural incomes for locals, and reduce the pressure to expand farming, which is a major driver of deforestation and forest degradation.

Efforts for reforestation and enhanced carbon storage will also be encouraged.

The project will be carried out in three phases from now until 2028. — VNS