Deputy PM Le Van Thanh heads Central Steering Committee for sustainable forestry development program

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan is the deputy head of the Committee.

Members of the Committee include Vice Chairman of the Government Office and Deputy Ministers from the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Planning and Investment, Finance, National Defense, Public Security, Industry and Trade, Natural Resources and Environment, Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, among others.

The Committee shall aid and advise the Prime Minister in effectively launching the sustainable forestry development program in 2021-2025 period and the national action program on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the reduction of deforestation and forest degradation, sustainable management of forest resources, and conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+) by 2030.

According to the sustainable forestry development program approved in August last year, Viet Nam aims for a growth at 5-5.5 percent each year in forestry production in the 2021-2025 period.

By 2025, export value of wood and forestry products is projected to reach US$20 billion, including US$1.5 billion from non-timber products, with higher processing ratio while income from planted production forest is expected to rise about 1.5 times compared to that in 2020.

The program will focus on maintaining the existing forest coverage of 42 percent in a sustainable manner and developing new areas in 2021-2025.

The total budget of the program is estimated at VND78.85 trillion (US$3.42 billion), 17.4 percent of which will be funded by the State budget and 82.6 percent from other sources./.