Mediating factors of agroforestry changes in Vietnam: implications for agroforestry

development

Nguyen Thi Hoa, Delia Catacutan, Nguyen Mai Phuong

The 3rd World Agroforestry CongressNew Delhi, India, 10-14 February 2014

Background• Agroforestry has been practiced in Viet Nam since early

1960s--- garden/fish pond/livestock and forest/garden/fish pond/livestock models in upland regions.

• Other AF practices were then adopted at landscape, farm and field levels, including integrated AF systems.

• The literature on transition of agroforestry and its drivers is very limited; main focus on perennial trees.

Observations:• Apparent change in agroforestry over the past

decades • Decreasing trend in AF since the government

launched its national forest protection and development programmes

• No information on how government reforestation and forest expansion programmes affected areas under AF

Objectives and study sitesThrough a mixed-method approach, the study examined: • The spatial and temporal changes of agroforestry in Vietnam• The drivers of these changes• Agroforestry’s contribution to people’s livelihoods

Bac Kan

Dac Nong

Ha Tinh

2000 2010 2020 -

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

124,556

72,912

2,026

38,668 23,265

9,951

102,861

210,675 218,197

Bac KanHa TinhDac Nong

Area (ha)

Changes in agroforestry areas in 3 provinces (2000 to 2020)

Perennial tree based AF

Parkland AF

Parkland AF, perennial tree based AF, fruit tree based AF

Pathway analysis of AF land in Bac Kan province

5%

5.6%

2%

0%

1%

1%

15%

Conversion of AF to other land uses Conversion of other land uses to AF

1.8%

2%

0.14%

0%

0.13%

0.02%

26%11 %

Natural forest

Planted forest

Agroforestry

Annual crops

Settlement & Built up

Bare land

Water surface

0.6%

6.4%

5.9%

0.04%

1.6%

0.44%

0.42%

0.03%

0.09%

0.05%

0.01%

0.05%

0.06%

0.13 %

2000 2010 2020

Changes in other land uses Peason’s correlations with decrease in agroforestry area (2000-2010)

Increase in natural forest 0.094Increase in planted forest 0.511**Increase in shifting cultivation area -0.007Increase in paddy area 0.528**

Increase in other land uses (bare land and settlement area) 0.0061

*p<0.05, ** p< 0.01 and ***p<0.001.

Decrease in upland crop ~ Increase in AF: Peason’s R: 0.498, p<0.001

Pathway analysis of AF land in Ha Tinh province

0.24%

0.17%

3.3%

0%

1.3%

0.03%

3.9%

Conversion of AF to other land uses Conversion of other land uses to AF

0.00%

1.24%

0.24%

0.00%

0.29%

0.00%

6.54%1.4 %

Natural forest

Planted forest

Agroforestry

Annual crops

Settlement & Built up

Bare land

Water surface

0.06%

1.9%

0.87%

0.06%

0.07%

0.35%

1.66%

0.04%

0.05%

0.92%

0.01%

0.03%

0.04%

0.57 %

2000 2010 2020

Changes in other land uses Peason’s correlations with increase in parkland AF area

Decrease in natural forest 0.721**

Increase in planted forest 0.711*** (spurious as correlating with decrease in natural forest)

Increase in upland crop area 0.462**

Decrease in paddy area 0.023

Decrease in other land uses (bare land and settlement area) -0.083

*p<0.05, ** p< 0.01 and ***p<0.001.

Pathway analysis of agroforestry land in Dac Nong province

0.28%

1%

1%

0.18%

2.2%

0.8%

32.3%

Conversion of AF to other land uses Conversion of other land uses to AF

2.47%

8.75%

0.57%

0.28%

1.2%

8.74%

15.8%10.3 %

Natural forest

Planted forest

Agroforestry

Annual crops

Settlement & Built up

Bare land

Water surface

0.42%

1.8%

0.8%

0.46%

3.5%

3%

33.5%

0.7%

2.4%

1.95%

0.08%

5.1%

0.8%

22.3 %

2000 2010 2020

Drivers of agroforestry transition (2000-2010)

Parkland agroforestry conversion to natural forest took place mainly on community natural forests.

But, not in Ha Tinh and Dac Nong• Government incentives is insufficiently

attractive to farmers• Other economically lucrative land uses are

preferred (e.g., timber, perennial tree plantations)

http://baogialai.com.vn/channel/722/201310/loi-ich-tu-giao-khoan-quan-ly-bao-ve-rung-2270233/

Forest regeneration policies facilitated conversion of parkland agroforestry to natural forest

---Allocated forest land for households and communities for forest regeneration---Provided financial support for forest regeneration and protection---Prohibited slash-and-burn on hillsides

Government reforestation: conversion of parkland agroforestry to plantation forest

---Reforestation programmes (327, 661 and 147) provided technical and material support

Rapid and expansive conversion in Ha Tinh province: • Initial technical and financial supports before 2000 for forest plantation• Favorable market conditions for timber tree plantation

Ha Tinh province Peason’s R with decrease in parkland AF

Number of seedlings supported for reforestation 0.012

Amount of money provided for reforestation -0.087 Bac Kan provinceNumber of seedlings supported for reforestation 0.040

Amount of money provided for reforestation 0.193**p<0.05, ** p< 0.01 and ***p<0.001.

Less popular in Bac Kan province: • Limited market for

timberFinancial support required

Small conversion in Dac Nong: • High competition with perennial

trees http://citinews.net/kinh-doanh/bach-thong--cap-hon-2-trieu-cay-giong-cho-nien-vu-trong-rung-2013-5IG4TYQ/

National poverty alleviation programmes’ support for fruit and perennial tree plantation

High expansion of fruit tree-based agroforestry within settlement areas in Ha Tinh• Poverty reduction programmes (134, 135)• Free fruit tree seedlings and trainings on fruit

tree plantation

In Dac Nong• Home lots distributed• Technical and financial supports provided for

the establishment of perennial tree farms.

http://dienbientv.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/kinh-te/201206/Xoa-doi-giam-ngheo-tu-mo-hinh-trong-cay-an-qua-2163643/

Government policies and local programmes on the development of perennial tree plantations

National strategy on expansion of perennial tree plantations (ex. rubber)Support and programs localized, some cases with mis-implementation of the government’s policy Ha Tinh: rubber expansion on both community/allocated natural forest land, plantation forest • Rubber allowed (regardless of type of land

use) in areas between 15 and 25 degree slopes. + financial support

• Linkage between farmers, local government and rubber companies facilitated

• Increase farmers’ knowledge on rubber and emerging market

Dac Nong: develop market access for perennial trees (coffee, cacao) in the area; technical training on perennial trees• Mostly occurred on community-managed

natural forest lands, since these have not been allocated to households

• Home gardens

http://caphesach.vn/news/Trong-trot/Dak-Lak-toan-tinh-co-5-lien-minh-san-xuat-ca-phe-ben-vung-853/

http://wasi.org.vn/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=386%3Ak-lk-ci-to-li-cac-vn-ca-phe-bng-cac-ging-chn-lc-cht-lng-cao&catid=90%3Atin-hoat-dong-nganh&Itemid=199&lang=en

• Timber tree seedlings mainly bought from nurseries in Bac Kan• Seeds or seedlings directly from local traders at a reasonable price

than from nurseries in other areas• Rubber seedlings may be freely supplied or delivered by rubber

companies in Ha Tinh

Availability of markets for cash crops• Improved markets for cash crops• Shorter proximity to market for cash crop facilitated conversion

of parkland AF to cash crop production (farmers have to transfer products to collection points in Bac Kan)

• In Ha Tinh, farmers are able to sell cassava directly to local traders

Peason’s correlationsProximity to tree nurseries ~ increase in parkland AF -0.244* (Bac Kan)

Proximity to markets for cash crop (tobacco) ~ decrease in parkland AF -0.199* (Bac Kan)

Proximity to cassava market ~decrease in parkland AF -0.032 (Ha Tinh)

*p<0.05, ** p< 0.01 and ***p<0.001.

http://petrotimes.vn/news/vn/kinh-te/chan-dung-doanh-nghiep/ngan-hang-chinh-sach-xa-hoi-10-nam-vi-nguoi-ngheo.html

Proximity to tree nurseries facilitated conversion of upland crop cultivation areas to park land AF

In Bac Kan, but not in Ha Tinh and Dac Nong province

Market availability for timber and price increase: conversion of parkland AF to plantation forest in Bac Kan and Ha Tinh provinces

Ha Tinh: Emerging market for Acacia timber pushed expansion of Acacia plantations into parkland areas

Distance to timber market

Peason’s correlation with decrease of parkland AF

Bac Kan 0.257 (p: 0.225)

Ha Tinh -0.06 (p: 0.826)Farmers are able to directly sell their timber to local traders

http://baoquangngai.vn/channel/2023/201012/tra-bong-chuyen-bien-tu-cuoc-van-dong-hoc-tap-va-lam-theo-tam-guong-dao-duc-ho-chi-minh-1969990/

Bac Kan: • Increase in Melia timber price strongly

correlates with the decrease in agroforestry area during 2000-2010 (Peason’s R: 0.094, p<0.001).

• Farmers are able to sell Melia timber (main species on parkland AF; not a regulated species).

• Price boom for Melia timber farmers converted their agroforestry areas into Melia plantation forest.

Infrastructure development and market for perennial tree products

Increasing markets for cashew and

coffee

Improved proximity to markets for perennial tree products and

urban centres

Peason’s R with increase in perennial tree AF

Proximity to the market for perennial tree products

-0.154; p: 0.032

Proximity to urban area -0.157; p: 0.029

• Local traders collect products• Products to collection points

by farmers• Inputs easily accessible

http://www.tintaynguyen.com/dak-lak-nong-dan-han-che-ban-ca-phe-de-cho-tang-gia/17510/http://giacaphe.com/6964/phoi-tron-phan-don-de-bon-

cho-ca-phe/

http://www.dulichsingapore.com/video-clip/366-ngan-ngo-voi-nui-doi-dak-nong.html

Expansion of perennial tree- based AF in natural forests

and settlement areas in Dac Nong

Population increase: expansion of AF area (where AF can be an economically viable option)

Fruit market availability and proximity• Proximity to market--- not significantly correlated with the increase in fruit tree-based

agroforestry area in Ha Tinh province (Peason’s R: 0.191; p: 0.355)• Good access and increasing market demand, farmers able to sell fruit to local traders

Natural population growth In-migration

Greater demand for land for agricultural production

Encroach natural forest land or buy land to convert to perennial tree based AF in Dac Nong

Peason’s R with increase in perennial tree AF

The area of lands bought by migrant families

0.916 (p<0.001)

Household size 0.401 (p< 0.001)

http://danviet.vn/kinh-te/tich-cuc-tai-canh-va-giam-dien-tich-ca-phe/20130806113451275p1c25.htm

Household economy: increase income from paddy fields

Increase in the share of income from paddy fields, in total HH income

Increase in paddy area in 2000-2010

Decrease of parkland AF in Bac Kan province

In Bac Kan province Peason’s R with increase in the share of income from paddy fields per total household income in 2000-2010

Decrease in parkland agroforestry area

0.155*,

increase in paddy area 0.468*(*) p<0.05

• More resources to invest in converting parkland AF to plantation forest

• Household economy more focus on paddy fields

Linking household economic factors with the area under agroforestry

Peason’s correlation with total area under AFBac Kan Ha Tinh

Income from upland crops 0.201* 0.161* (spurious, with the area of planted forest)

Income from paddy field 0.064 0.106Income from livestock raising 0.525*** 0.047Off-farm income -0.123 0.301Total household income 0.195* 0.111Total number of cattles (buffalo, cow and goat) by 2012

0.404*** (spurious, with income from livestock) 0.189*

Number of deer NA 0.416****p<0.05, ** p< 0.01 and ***p<0.001.

• AF significantly contributes to the household’s economy

• Richer households are more incline to adopt AF

• More resources from upland crops or livestocks AF adoption

• Households who owned a number of animals are better off, and invest more on AF.

Dac NongArea of perennial tree-based AF ~ household income: significantly correlated (Peason’s R: 0.562***), but not with any other income sources.

Conclusions and implicationsAF development in Vietnam is largely based on reinforcing factors such as government support, market creation for agroforestry products, local capacity development, and availability of, or access to financial capital.

• Parkland AF areas were mainly converted to natural forest in Bac Kan province and to planted forest in Ha Tinh province. Conversely, in Dak Nong province, natural forest and settlement areas were converted to agroforestry.

• Agroforestry change in Bac kan province was largely driven by government forest regeneration and reforestation programmes and creation of markets for cash crops; whereas, improved physical and market infrastructure, as well as steady increases in timber prices and perennial tree crops were key drivers in Ha Tinh and Dak Nong provinces.

• Richer households tend to increase their agroforestry areas from surplus incomes than accept minimal government incentives for reforestation or forest regeneration.

Therefore,• The development of agroforestry in Vietnam will likely take place in areas where no land

use option is economically superior to it. • The decision to adopt agroforestry is largely attributed to the economic value of AF

products.• The economic value of environmental services derived must be accounted to increase the

profitability of agroforestry.

Thank you for your attention

The authors would like to thank Vietnam Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI) for providing spatial data, the District People Committees and local authorities in the six study districts, and the 900 farmer-respondents who willingly collaborated us in this study, and to Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Thuy from Ho Chi Minh Nong Lam University for his supervision of the survey in Dac Nong province. The authors also acknowledged the assistance from Ms. Doan Thi Luyen, Ms. Dang Thi Thu Thuy, Ms. Nguyen Thi Toan, Ms. Pham Thanh Loan, Ms. Le Thi Tam and Ms. Tran Thi Sang.

For more information, please contact: t.nguyen@cgiar.org

d.c.catacutan@cgiar.org