Pathways for Agroforestry development in North-West Vietnam

Deforestation and land degradation in connection with shifting cultivation and mono-cropping is a major issue in the northwester n uplands of Vietnam. Fallow cycling in shifting cultivation has been reduced or is non-existent, exacerbated by an increasing population, greater lan d allocation and strong market liberation and demand. Mono-cropping of maize, upland rice, cassav a, teak and currently also rubber is expanding (Photo 1), main ly for economic purposes. On forest land, farmers cut down trees and either plant food crops or sell the timber. As a consequence, during 1990 1995, forest cover was reduced to around 10% and was highly fragmented with a significant loss of biod iversity. Soil erosion owing to unsustainable sloping cultiv ation is alarming (68 t/ha/year under maize in Yen Son district, Upland program 2010). Research ideas for bringing trees back to the landscape for more sustainable farming are under development by the World Agrofores try Centre Vietnam and its national partners as a part of the Australian Centre for Int ernational Agricultural Research (ACIAR) program in the area. Th e role of trees in increasing income to local farmers, either directly or indirectly through liv estock, and at the same time improving soil and water quality, i s a focus of the program. A scoping study has been being carried out by interdisciplinary team that includes international and national experts . Begining in May 2010, we have worked in three provinces, with a focus on Son La province (Map 1). The methods used are reviews, interviews, field visits a nd workshops with local stakeholders including local government, research institutes, universities and farmers (Photo 2).

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