Project News

SUSFORM-NOW has started its coverage of two additional pilot sites for its REDD+ pilot implementation in Dien Bien Province since February 2013 based on the agreement at the recent Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) held on 29 January 2013. These two pilot sites are Muong Phang Commune (Dien Bien Distritct) and Muong Muon Commune (Muong Cha District), both of which are located about an hour away from Dien Bien Phu City by car.

Muong Phang Commune has 26 divisions (25 villages + a commune center) within its boundaries, and the project will support the planning and implementation of action plans in 25 villages except the commune center, which does not have any forest area. Muong Muon Commune has 11 villages, and the project will have a full coverage.

SUSFORM-NOW will start preparation for initial village meetings (including the training of government facilitators for the village meetings) in additional pilot sites from this month and expect to start the first round of village meetings in April or May to introduce the project activities as well as to obtain agreement (or disagreement) for their participation.

The village-level planning meetings will follow right after the first village meeting if these villages agree to participate in the project. In the second and third village meetings, the five-year and annual activity implementation plans for forest management and livelihoods development will be formulated together with the establishment of village management boards, village fund, and forest patrolling team.

Scenery of Muong Phang Commune

Scenery of Muong Muon Commune