Abstract
Background and objectives: Smallholder households with a plot size of 1–5 ha manage nearly half of Vietnam’s acacia plantations. They mostly harvest acacia timber after short rotation periods (5–6 years) producing woodchips with relatively low financial returns compared to potential profits from sawlog production through long rotation periods. The domestic wood production cannot yet meet the needs of the booming furniture industry for raw materials. This paper investigates factors that influence the adoption of long-rotation periods for sawlog production by small-scale plantation owners. Materials and methods: The impact of farmer and farm characteristics and the characteristics of the external environment on the probability to adopt long rotation periods is analyzed. The data were collected through focus group discussions (FGD) and a household survey to capture the wider socio-economic situation of small-scale plantation owners in central Vietnam. Findings: Results from FGDs and probit regressions show that factors that potentially constrain small-scale plantation owners from the production of sawlogs can be grouped into four themes: (1) small and fragmented land holdings, (2) high risks related to natural disasters and other biotic and abiotic hazards, (3) high production and monitoring costs, and (4) lack of knowledge and experience in plantation management. Conclusions: Potential policy approaches to promote the adoption of long rotation periods should include a package of measures that simultaneously address the constraints of smallholders and the various risks that they face.
Highlights
Vietnam is one of the few tropical countries that has experienced a shift from net deforestation to net reforestation over the last three decades with a rapid expansion of the forest cover from 28.3% in 1990 up to 40.8% in 2015, largely due to expansion of forest plantations [1,2]
Data were collected through focus group discussions and aprovinces household during and Thua Thien
Based on the focus group discussions and regression results, factors that potentially constrain small-scale plantation owners from production of sawlogs can be grouped into four themes: (1) small and fragmented land holdings, (2) high risks related to natural disasters and other biotic and abiotic hazards, (3) high production and monitoring costs, and (4) lack of knowledge and experience in plantation management
Summary
Vietnam is one of the few tropical countries that has experienced a shift from net deforestation to net reforestation over the last three decades with a rapid expansion of the forest cover from 28.3% in 1990 up to 40.8% in 2015, largely due to expansion of forest plantations [1,2]. One of the national government’s goals within the framework of the 5MHRP was to improve the provision of raw materials for wood-based industries and income for rural households through the establishment and expansion of forest plantations. Policy measures to promote forest plantations include access to preferential loans associated to reforestation programs, land fee exemptions, and direct payments made within the 5MHRP, whereas households that invest in long-term rotations (up to 30 years) of tree plantations can receive grants of 2 million VND (US$ 85.7). Smallholder households with a plot size of 1–5 ha manage nearly half of Vietnam’s acacia plantations They mostly harvest acacia timber after short rotation periods (5–6 years) producing woodchips with relatively low financial returns compared to potential profits from sawlog production through long rotation periods. This paper investigates factors that influence the adoption of long-rotation periods for sawlog production by small-scale plantation owners. Findings: Results from FGDs and probit regressions show that factors that potentially constrain small-scale plantation owners from the production of sawlogs can be grouped into four themes: (1) small and fragmented land holdings, (2) high risks related to natural disasters and other biotic and abiotic hazards, (3) high production and monitoring costs, and (4) lack of knowledge and experience in plantation management
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