Outline of the Project

Project Name

The Project for Enhancing Sustainable Forest Management in Collaboration with REDD+ Programs and REDD+ Funds

Subject

Natural Environment Conservation

Country

Lao People's Democratic Republic

Date R/D Signed

15 July 2021

Project Site

Vientiane, Savannakhet

Term of Cooperation

2 February 2022-31 January 2027 (5 years)

Implementing Organization

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Background

In the Lao People's Democratic Republic (hereinafter "Lao PDR"), biodiversity and the environment are threatened by population growth, the expansion of agricultural land, climate change, illegal logging and poaching, and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. In particular, the impact on forests has been significant, with forest cover that had been estimated at more than 70% in the 1940s having dropped to 40% by 2010. In response to this rapid deforestation, in 2005 the Government of Lao PDR (GoL) formulated the Forest Strategy 2020 with the goal of restoring forest cover to 70%. At the same time, the GoL, with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other donors, has been working on the preparation and implementation of REDD+ since 2008 as an effective means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and forest degradation for strengthening the capacity for the sustainable management of forests and for improving government revenue and the livelihoods of local people. As a result, forest cover recovered to 57.4% in 2015, and a total of 14.7 million tCO22eq of emissions reduction and removals enhancement were achieved during the period of 2015 - 2018. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) of the GoL is currently formulating the Forest Strategy 2035 as an update to the Forest Strategy 2020. The draft strategy continues to set forth the vision of restoring forest cover to 70%, managing and developing forest resources, protecting biodiversity, conserving watersheds, improving environmental quality, and mitigating global warming.

In this context, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and Provincial Agriculture and Forest Office (PAFO), which play central roles in REDD+ implementation, still lack sufficient capacity for REDD+. Further capacity building is required to support the investment planning, program management, and monitoring of the large amount of external funds in the future. In addition, it is necessary to develop a robust and transparent information system for REDD+ that meets international standards, taking into account the most recent forest information technology (accurate forest classification maps based on satellite imagery analysis and ground surveys, forest carbon stock data, emission factors, etc.) for the entire country. In order to ensure the proper management of REDD+ results-based payment and other donor funds received, the GoL hopes that JICA, which has provided long-term support and expertise in this area, will continue to provide technical assistance.

JICA has provided support to the forestry sector in the areas of forest policy and REDD+ institutional development, donor coordination, the development of a forest information management system, REDD+-related technical development, participatory forest management, and REDD+ pilot activities. It has also supported a wide range of initiatives with synergistic effects, from the central government to local governments, and from policy support to forest information management and field-level activities. In this context, the Project for Enhancing Sustainable Forest Management in Collaboration with REDD+ Programs and REDD+ Funds (F-REDD 2) was requested by the GoL, aiming to support access to and the implementation of funds from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), to strengthen the capacity for sustainable forest management through the implementation of the Forest Strategy 2035, and to further promote the implementation of REDD+ actions.

The Overall Goal

Sustainable forest management is promoted through REDD+ programs and activities in Lao PDR.

Project Purpose

Capacity for sustainable forest management in collaboration with REDD+ programs and REDD+ funds is enhanced.

Outputs

1. Policy and Institutional framework to implement Forestry Strategy (FS) 2035 is enhanced.
2. Implementation of National REDD+ and National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) Roadmap is promoted.
3. REDD+ readiness in Savannakhet Province is enhanced.

Project Activities

Output 1. Policy and Institutional framework to implement Forestry Strategy (FS) 2035 is enhanced.

1-1.	The draft PLR (s) is/are developed and submitted by the relevant authority (ies).
1-1-1.	Identify priority policy and institutional framework for the Forestry Strategy 2035 to be enhanced through the project activities.
1-1-2.	Develop the relevant PLRs (Policies, Laws, and Regulations) which are identified in Activity 1-1-1.
1-2.	Forestry Sub-sector Working Group (FSSWG) meetings are held biannually.
1-2-1.	Support organization of the FSSWG meetings biannually.
1-2-2.	Support the donor coordination on Forestry Strategy 2035 implementation, including information sharing and exchange ideas.

Output 2. Implementation of National REDD+ and National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) Roadmap is promoted.

2-1.	ER (*2) Monitoring Report is submitted to FCPF.

[Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV)]

2-1-1.	Develop the MRV plan.
2-1-2.	Develop the forest type map and calculate the Activity Data.
2-1-3.	Implement national forest inventory.
2-1-4.	Calculate emission and removal factors.
2-1-5.	Estimate GHG emissions and removals from forest and forest land.
2-1-6.	Assessment of leakage effects from the I-GFLL programme area (phase 1) (*1) to reference area (the entire Lao PDR).
2-1-7.	Report reduced GHG emissions and enhanced carbon stocks at national level to the relevant agency (ies).
2-1-8.	Support reporting and verification of reduced GHG emissions and enhanced carbon stocks at northern six provinces to access ER (*2) payment under the Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA) of FCPF Carbon Fund.

[Forest Monitoring]

2-1-9.	Facilitate the coordination of forest monitoring initiatives supported by various donors.
2-1-10.	Upgrade and improve the Provincial Deforestation Monitoring System (PDMS) to deploy in the target provinces.(*3)
2-1-11.	Promote the implementation of PDMS to target provinces in collaboration with the I-GFLL and other programs and projects.

[Data Management]

2-1-12.	Operate and update the National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) web-portal by taking new needs/technologies into account.
2-1-13.	Enhance the capacity for localization of system operation, update and maintenance.

[NFMS Roadmap]

2-1-14.	Update the NFMS roadmap.
2-2.	Promote the coordination of national REDD+.
2-2-1.	Provide technical input to the National REDD+ Taskforce.
2-2-2.	Provide technical and operational support to the NFMS Technical Working Group.
2-2-3.	Facilitate collaboration between DOF and MONRE-DCC on GHG inventory.
2-2-4.	Support the donor coordination on REDD+ implementation.
2-2-5.	Provide technical inputs to submit the Funding Proposal of GCF REDD+ Results-based Payment and support coordination with GCF Secretariat.

Output 3. REDD+ readiness in Savannakhet Province is enhanced.

3-1.	Provincial REDD+ Task Force is officially established.
3-2-1.	Formulate relevant institutions for REDD+ (e.g. Provincial REDD+ Task Force).
3-2-2.	Build technical capacity of the stakeholders such as Provincial REDD+ Task Force, PAFO and DAFO on REDD+ implementation.
3-2.	The prototype of landscape management plan is developed.
3-2-1.	Formulate relevant institutions for landscape management of conservation and protection forest.
3-2-2.	Conduct natural resource and socio-economic survey at selected villages.
3-2-3.	Conceptualize landscape management planning and develop a prototype plan, including zoning of NCA (National Conservation Area) and NPtFAs (National Protection Forest Areas) in accordance with Forestry Law.

(*1) Luang Prabang, Huaphan and Sayabouri Provinces according to the GCF funding proposal (FP117 in GCF/B.24/02/ADD.03)

(*2) Emission Reductions

(*3) PDMS is already introduced Luang Prabang and Oudomxay Provinces with technical and financial support from F-REDD and Huaphan and Sayabouri Provinces with financial support from I-GFLL program and technical support from F-REDD. F-REDD 2 continues to provide technical support in these provinces and extends PDMS to Luang Namtha and Bokeo in North Region in collaboration with GFLL, the provinces in South Region (Attapeu, Champasak, Salavan, Savannakhet and Sekong Provinces in collaboration with GFLL-SL Project (JICA/GCF-RBP)), and target provinces in other forestry and REDD+ projects.

Inputs
[Japanese side]

Japanese Experts (short term), local Project staff
Training in Japan
Machinery and equipment

Inputs
[Lao side]

Counterpart staff
Facilities, machinery, and equipment