Forests keep land, land for human consumption
Son La, a northern mountainous province that often suffers from natural disasters, erosion, and flash floods, is changing its approach to sustainable development. One of the key projects sponsored and accompanied by JICA in Son La is "Strengthening sustainable natural resource management" (from 2021 to the end of 2025) with a total capital of about 33 billion VND (including about 27 billion VND of unrefundable ODA), not only aimed at forest protection, but also a series of comprehensive solutions - from sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation to supporting alternative livelihoods for the community.
Mr. Kim Van Tinh, Director of Phu Yen Forestry Company - the unit assigned to manage more than 8,100 hectares of forest land, including about 7,200 hectares of protective forest land and only about 900 hectares of production forest land - said that the company had struggled because protective forests were not exploited, while production forests needed many years to be harvested. Since JICA consulted, the company has grown star apple and eucalyptus - a type of plant that grows quickly and has a large volume, helping to create a stable source of income after 5 - 10 years.
Not only businesses, but about 30 households in Tan Lang commune, Phu Yen district also directly benefited. In areas with overlapping land between production forests and protective forests, the company has flexibly allowed people to use temporary land to grow corn and peanuts - both ensuring livelihoods and protecting the forest.
Mr. Baku Takahashi, Chief Project Advisor, said that this approach helps people shift from the mindset of taking advantage of forests to protecting forests as their livelihood. Each tree canopy is no longer a common property without owners, but a part of life preserved by the trust and efforts of the people themselves.
Stop the fierce flood with the first Sabo Dam in Vietnam
The historic flash flood in 2017 left a terrible mark in Muong La, Son La with 13 deaths, 159 damaged houses, and damage of more than 700 billion VND. During that flood, Lo Van Duan ( Piest village, Nam Pam commune) still clearly remember the scene of the roaring water pouring down in the middle of the night, sweeping away his entire house and fields while his father was seriously ill.
Also in this Pio village, on April 16, 2025, the first Sabo dam project using Japanese technology in Vietnam was officially inaugurated. The concrete dam with a clearance of 61m and a height of 9m is not only a technical project, but also a shield for dozens of households downstream, according to Mr. Nguyen Truong Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment).
Mr. Kobayashi Yosuke, Chief Representative of JICA Vietnam, said that Sabo Dam can retain mud, rocks and wood flowing upstream. A Sabo Dam cannot block all risks, but it is the starting point for Vietnam to develop a system of proper flash flood prevention, said Mr. Kobayashi Yosuke.
Ms. Le Thi Thu Hang, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Son La province, shared that the inauguration ceremony of Sabo Dam not only marks the completion of an important project, but also symbolizes the good and sustainable cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Japan in general, between Son La province and JICA in particular, in which local people are the largest beneficiaries.
Head of Pio village Tong Van Huong emotionally said: Previously, every rainy season, the whole village was very scared. Now people can sleep much more peacefully because there are protective dams".
Reaping billions from VietGAP vegetable beds on the hills
If the forest and Sabo Dam are a green wall protecting people from natural disasters, then the safe vegetable beds in Moc Chau grown in greenhouses, greenhouses with smart irrigation systems, are a vivid testament to a change in livelihood.
Mr. Luu Tung Dinh - formerly the sales director of a foreign seed group - decided to leave his stable position to go to Moc Chau to establish Nong Xanh Cooperative. In the land where people are used to growing corn and su su, he pioneered the introduction of leafy vegetables such as kale, cucumber, king's squid... according to VietGAP standards.
Selected to participate in the JICA Project to enhance the safe crop value chain in the northern provinces, supported by experts in technical support and safe production processes, the cooperative's production area has now reached 50 hectares, attracting more than 40 households to participate. Revenue in 2022 is more than 3 billion VND, by 2024 it has exceeded 14 billion VND. Cooperative employees work year-round, and their income is at least 6 million VND/month.
Not only creating clean products, Mr. Dinh's cooperative also paved the way to bring Son La vegetables to the supermarket chain in 17 northern provinces. "Now we no longer have to worry about output, the important thing is to grow according to standards and meet market demand" - Ms. Dinh Thi Thap, a member of Nong Xanh Cooperative, excitedly shared.
Accompanying creativity for sustainable development
JICA's projects in Son La are designed in the spirit of creative companionship for sustainable development. Ms. Pham Thi Lan, Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection of Son La province, said that Son La has the advantage of off-season vegetables and local specialties. JICA projects exploit this strength, helping farmers compete with quality, not quantity. Mr. Cong Xuan Ngoc, Director of the Agricultural Extension Center of Son La province, said that the biggest benefit of the project is changing people's thinking - from "planted and sold" to "planted for sale".
Expert Kayano Naoki, project coordinator of JICA, shared that although production in the mountainous areas of Son La is more difficult than in the plains, the cool climate and less polluted water sources are ideal conditions for growing clean vegetables off-season.
Models like in Moc Chau, Phu Yen or Muong La are proving one thing: When people are equipped with knowledge, tools and have the right support, they can create their own future - even in places that were once considered "the most harsh".
When a mountain slope is no longer bare after each rain. When farmers know how to proudly introduce their clean products to the market. When children grow up in safer, healthier villages. That is the greatest success - and also a testament to a deep and sustainable cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Japan.
