INTERVENTION AREAS

LDP project is implemented in 5 mountainous districts of Thanh Hóa province, including: Quan Hóa, Bá Thước, Lang Chánh, Ngọc Lặc and Thường Xuân. Natural forest and bamboo plantations occupy major land area of these districts.

Population: this area is home to many ethnic groups, especially Thai and Muong groups. Population density is rather low in this area, only 40 to 150 people/km 2. Because of high poverty rate (about 50% of population), number of residents migrating to neighbouring areas and big cities are increasing. Only in Quan Hóa, Bá Thước and Quan Sơn, this number is as high as 15 800 people of 96 470 people in labor age of these 3 districts.

In phase 1, project focused on the centre of western part of Thanh Hóa, in 2 districts Ngọc Lặc and Thường Xuân, where bamboo plantations area is still limited. The project implemented many agricultural techniques.

In phase 2, project will reduce plantation activities and increase the management of existing bamboo plantations, as well as focusing on value chain, market, processing workshops in the area. Therefore, the project expands and focus on 2 new areas having larger area of bamboo plantations than that in phase 1, such as in Quan Hóa, where there is 20 000 ha of bamboo plantations.