A Value Chain Approach to Forest Landscape Restoration: Insights from Vietnam’s Production-Driven Forest Restoration

Nga Thi Ha,Simon Benedikter,Gerald Kapp

doi:10.24259/fs.v6i1.18038

Abstract

According to FAO figures, over 129 million hectares of forests have been lost globally since the 1990s, mainly in the tropical Global South, where agriculture acts as the main driver of forest conversion. International commitments, such as the Bonn Challenge, aim to reverse this trend through the application of forest landscape restoration (FLR) as an integrated and inclusive restoration approach. Beyond the discourse level, however, FLR implementation lags behind expectations due to insufficient funding and a disconnection with local implementation. We argue that, instead of relying on public resources for conservation-driven restoration, increased private sector engagement may point the way out of the funding impasse. However, this requires a shift towards production-driven FLR, which includes the livelihood needs of communities and smallholders as agents of landscape transition. For achieving the dual purpose of connecting landscapes with markets and promoting sustainable landscape restoration, we ascribe value chains and their economic, social and ecological configurations a key role in production-driven FLR. Drawing on Vietnam’s forest restoration pathway as an illustrative case, we examine how production-driven forest restoration, smallholder engagement and value chain upgrading can stimulate positive landscape transitions. We conclude that, depending on their configuration, value chains can have negative or positive social and ecological impacts at the landscape level. Furthermore, regulated, progressive and high-value commodity chains may perform better in the areas of integrated FLR objectives landscape integrity, ecological functionality and human well-being.

Highlights

IntroductionTOWARDS A PRODUCTION-DRIVEN AND INCLUSIVE FOREST LANDSCAPE RESTORATION (FLR) APPROACH
In the ensuing section we explore the nexus between value chains and landscape approaches, and how both approaches interact with each other
We look into two smallholder tree certification schemes, both located in Central Vietnam, more precisely in the provinces of Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Tri

Summary

Introduction

TOWARDS A PRODUCTION-DRIVEN AND INCLUSIVE FOREST LANDSCAPE RESTORATION (FLR) APPROACH. As climate change becomes increasingly perceptible, with all its adverse impacts, forests are moving into the limelight of global mitigation and adaptation efforts. Whilst their degradation fuels climate change, forests are indispensable in mitigating global warming due to their function as carbon sinks. The loss of 129 million hectares of forest since the 1990s, mainly in tropical regions of the Global South (FAO, 2015), has had twice the impact. After decades of unhampered timber extraction and forest conversion through vicious cycles of degradation, this process must be stopped and reverted into a virtuous cycle of forest restoration.

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion