Promotion of Sustainable Management of Natural Forest and Marketing of Important Forest Products
Large areas of natural forest in Vietnam have been degraded in the past by extensive logging and slash-and-burn cultivation, resulting in loss of economic value and of biodiversity. Degraded forests are also prone to soil erosion. To date, the efforts of the Vietnamese Government to counteract forest loss are focused mainly on reforestation with fast growing, usually exotic timber species. On behalf of the German Federal Government, GTZ is supporting Vietnam to improve the efficiency and sustainability of forest management and of the forest sector.
We advise Vietnamese partner organizations in the development of technical and legal guidelines and in the improvement of administrative procedures, including cooperation procedures between the State administration and the private sector.
We also provide support for the development of sustainable forest management systems and procedures, and advise on methods to improve the quality of forest products and the delivery of services.
Nature Conservation and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Region
Due to its extraordinary biodiversity, the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is one of the world’s 200 most important ecological sites. However, this biodiversity is at great risk, mainly from poaching, illegal logging and slash-and-burn cultivation. One reason for this is the severe poverty of the population living in the region surrounding the national park. The German-Vietnamese cooperation project which involves KfW, DED and GTZ has the objective of reducing pressure on the park’s natural resources through sustainable management and protection.
By provision of advisory services, delivery of training and provision of local subsidies we are supporting the development and implementation of planning procedures, thereby promoting environmentally and resource-friendly utilization and management methodologies at commune, district and provincial levels. The project also includes a component for the development and implementation of a Tourism Management Plan in order to improve the environmental awareness of stakeholders in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang region.
Waste Water and Solid Waste Management in Provincial Centres
To date, many Vietnamese cities have not yet developed appropriate disposal systems for waste water and solid waste. This results in the pollution of ground water, lakes and rivers, which is placing the environment and people’s health at risk. However, with German support the Vietnamese Government has now integrated the improvement of waste water and solid waste disposal into its development planning.
Within the context of the German-Vietnamese Programme, eight provincial urban centres are currently expanding their networks of drains and sewage plants. We are advising waste water companies in the efficient and demand-oriented management of these plants. In some cases, modern solid waste disposal sites are also being set up. We are further supporting the Ministry of Construction in the design of modern framework conditions for the communal disposal of waste water and solid waste in Vietnam.
Support for Macro-economic Reforms in Vietnam
Vietnam’s integration into the global market necessitates the improvement of the market economic conditions. This involves in particular the creation of a legal environment that is oriented towards the market economy, the re-definition of state tasks and the strengthening of various state institutions.
Germany supports the Vietnamese Government in the adaptation of the regulatory framework, the creation of organizational pre-requisites through the reform of structures, processes and instruments, and in the delivery of training courses to responsible staff in the partner institutions. To support Vietnam in this transformation and reform process we concentrate on the following components: economic and social policies, public finance, and the development of financial systems.
Strengthening Provincial Health Systems
Increasing urbanisation, changing lifestyles and the Vietnamese population’s altered age structure have led to changes in the prevailing disease patterns. A shift towards more chronic diseases and accident traumas necessitates more sophisticated diagnostics, which in turn mean higher treatment costs. As a consequence, hospitals in particular need to strengthen their diagnostic and treatment capacity. This is especially the case in provincial hospitals, which have an important function in the Vietnamese health system in the support and supervision of lower-level health services.
A joint project by KfW, GTZ, DED and InWEnt, targeting five provinces, aims to improve the access of poor and disadvantaged population groups to health services and to strengthen the provincial health system.
In this joint approach, KfW funds the procurements of medical equipment for diagnostic, therapeutic and specialist departments. In addition, advice is provided to the hospitals in regard to procurement, tendering, distribution and maintenance of equipment, and in waste management. GTZ supports the strengthening of institutions and competencies in the area of health planning and management and contributes to the improvement of the quality of curative and preventative health services at the provincial level. The DED has deployed a long-term expert to conduct training events tailored to the needs of the Vietnamese programme partner. Finally, InWEnt supports this training component by providing training for hospital management teams and for health administrations at the district level.
© 2009 - German Development Cooperation with Vietnam