The acacia plantation boom in Thừa Thiên Huế Province, Central Vietnam: A survey of tree farmers' shifting livelihoods, environmental perceptions, and occupational perspectives

The rise of exotic-species-based plantation forestry in biodiverse tropical countries transforms livelihoods and environmental qualities in various ways. Through 180 structured interviews of different types of acacia plantation owners (producers of woodchips/sawlogs, with/without membership in a recent Forest Stewardship Council [FSC] program) we investigated such transformations in three districts along a lowland-upland gradient in Thừa Thiˆen Huế Province, Central Vietnam. We focused on how trajectories of livelihood and income changes related to the farmers’ perceptions on environmental changes, and how this, in turn, was linked to the farmers’ assessments of opportunities, risks, and concrete plans in tree cultivations. Sawlog producers (especially with FSC-certification) in the lowlands had been among the first to plant acacias in the 1990s, and in 2018 usually owned large plantations. In contrast, most farmers producing just woodchips were smallholders. Before acacias the farmers’ livelihoods were often more diversified in terms of agricultural products. Since then, many farmers (especially in the lowlands) abandoned rice/cassava production and/or livestock keeping to concentrate on wood production, willingly and/or as an outcome of land conversion (enclosure) to privatised plantations. Farmers’ incomes and material assets usually increased (especially FSC-farmers), but most smallholders still depended on incomes from subsidiary wage labor. Within a context of ‘development’ improvements were also seen in infrastructure (buildings, roads, water provisioning) and public services (education, health). Considering acacia planting most farmers (especially FSC-farmers in the lowlands) saw environmental improvements in terms of soil fertility and landscape amenity, but not wildlife habitat. Most farmers also saw plantation value (especially on longer rotations) in terms of natural hazards mitigation (i.e. floods, droughts, soil erosion), but storms were also noted as the main risk to plantations (especially in the uplands). Another emerging risk was posed by plant diseases affecting acacias in the mid-/lowlands. Projective future plans to change plantation areas and/or crop rotations depended on the farmers’ economic strengths in terms of plantation land or other capital. Regarding future risks most farmers noted environmental impacts (storms, plant diseases) rather than economic factors (with wood market prices considered stable). Overall, the results suggest an appreciable value of acacia plantations to farmers, however with some marked distinctions between richer (FSC-certified) and poorer (smallholder) farmers as well as farmers in different regions with distinct terrain and land use management histories. We discuss such distinctions whilst also noting relevant study limitations connected to the complex socio-politics of land titling and uses, especially in the uplands

Acacia Plantation Development and the Configuration of Tree Farmers' Agricultural Assets and Land Management—A Survey in Central Vietnam

Since 1990 acacia-based tree plantations have fast expanded in Vietnam, now supporting a multi-billion-dollar export-oriented wood industry which is transforming from woodchip production to value-added products. Within this dynamic context, tree farmer associations have started to produce sawlogs under FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. In this paper, we retrace the development of plantation assets, investigating farmers’ current livelihoods and land management, specifically considering various aspects of sustainability. We interviewed 180 tree farmers in three districts (lowland–upland regions) of Thừa Thiên Huế Province, including sawlog producers with and without FSC and smallholder producers of woodchips. Acacia planting in ‘barren lands’ was initiated through state programs in the 1990s (low-/midlands) and 2010s (uplands). Farmers now producing FSC sawlogs were among the first to gain forestland tenure; they now own large plantations (on good terrain), are in tune with policies and maintain resources/capacities to adopt management in line with FSC standards. Yet, most farmers also retain plots for easy-to-manage and low-risk woodchip production. Soil/vegetation conservation depends on farmers’ status/capacities and environmental awareness; FSC membership added economic-political benefits. Findings are discussed within a regional historic context. Plantations contribute to economic development, but issues persist/emerged in terms of land equity and environmental governance, risks (e.g., plant pathogens), and spaces/impetus for farm-based innovation and adaptiveness

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Ich Tam Khang as a Supportive Therapy for Chronic Heart Failure

Background: Heart failure is a chronic disease needing lifelong management. Despite the advances that have been made in the treatment of the disease, both the longevity and quality of life for those with chronic heart failure remain impaired. A more effective therapeutic approach with less negative side effects is still needed. In this study, we evaluate Ich Tam Khang (ITK), the poly-ingredient herbal and nutritional preparation with multiple physiological actions, as a supportive therapy for patients with chronic heart failure.Aims of Study: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Ich Tam Khang as an adjunctive treatment of chronic heart failure.Methods: A total of 60 patients with chronic congestive heart failure were enrolled in this open label, cross-sectional and prospective study. All patients were treated with a conventional regimen (digoxin, diuretics, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), beta blockers) for at least 4 weeks before being divided into two equal groups. In the treated patients with ITK, patients received conventional therapy plus 4 tablets ITK per day added in two divided doses. In the control patients, all patients kept the same conventional regimen without ITK. All patients were followed up for 3 months for clinical and para-clinical outcomes.Result: The symptoms of heart failure (dyspnea, palpitation, peripheral edema, neck vein distention, heptojugular reflex) decreased. Heart rate and blood pressure stabilized during treatment in the treated patients with ITK. Additionally, total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol normalized in the patients treated with ITK. Most of echocardiography parameters in the ITK treated patients were superior to the control patients. ITK is safe and it has no side effects.Conclusion: ITK as a combination of herbal and nutritional preparation is effective in reducing heart failure symptoms, improving patient's quality of life for the patients with decompensated heart failure and reducing total cholesterol and LDL-C

Impact assessment of a local seventeen-year initiative on cassava-based soil conservation measure on sloping land as a climate-smart agriculture practice in Van Yen District, Yen Bai Province, Vietnam

Van Yen District in Yen Bai Province represents the general terrain conditions and farming systems of the northern mountainous region of Vietnam. It has suffered land degradation due to soil erosion and nutrient depletion, which in turn led to declined crop yield, and food insecurity. The district experienced these impacts due to unsustainable upland agricultural practices. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development realized that their previous practices would not leave anything behind for the next generations. This prompted them to launch an agricultural conservation program in 2003 to restore degraded soils, which would improve the production in the farms, and diversify incomes and the household economy of local farmers. Over the 17 years of implementation, the program has introduced six conservation measures that have been well-received and implemented by the farmers of Van Yen. This report assesses the impacts of the 17-year program using the economic, environmental, and social lenses with a focus on the cassava crop, considering the traditional cassava monocrop system (or non-adoption group) and the six conservation measures (or adoption group). The study applied a mixed-methods approach, using semi-questionnaire to collect qualitative information from 488 farmers across six communes and surveys to collect soil samples to assess the levels of soil restoration among certain measures. The study also used the quantitative research findings from two other research studies conducted in Mau Dong Commune to help discuss its findings

Conservation agriculture for a climate-resilient and sustainable upland agriculture: A success story from a seventeen-year local program in northern Vietnam

The brief elaborates on the lessons learned from an impact assessment of a local seventeen-year initiative on cassava-based soil conservation measure on sloping land as a climate-smart agriculture practice in Van Yen District, Yen Bai Province, Vietnam. Focusing on the economic, environmental, and social benefits, the recommendations push for institutional level strategies on how this success story can be replicated in areas with similar biophysical and socio-economic conditions

Minimum guidelines for CSV implementation

Climate-smart village (CSV) has been demonstrated as a good model to practice climate-smart agriculture technologies and practices (CSA T&Ps) for enhancing adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change in rural areas worldwide. This material documents detailed stepwise guidelines for CSV implementation at village level from three CSVs that have been successfully established for three distinctive agroecologies of Yen Bai province. These CSVs were developed in three different projects, such as the CCAFS FP2.1 (2015-2018), VIBE 2018.05 (2019-2021), and NTM (2020) projects. The document will provide technical guidance for improving the implementation of Vietnam’s National Target Program on New Rural Development (NTM) in the 2021-2030 Strategy towards climate adaptation and resilience in vulnerable rural areas

Outcome and impact assessment of the Climate-Smart Village Program in Northern Vietnam

Yen Bai province inherits representative biophysical, socio-economic, smaller-holder farming characteristics to economic marginalization and climatic risks and impacts to agricultural production and local livelihoods of Vietnam’s northern mountain region (NMR). The CCAFS project deployed to Ma Climate-Smart Village (CSV) in Yen Bai in 2015 with bilateral funding support from two other research projects aimed at setting up a demonstration-for-scaling example of a rural community equipped with capacities for enhanced climate adaptation and resilience. This study applied a three tier interview data collection methodology (key informant interviews – focus group discussions – indepth farmer interviews) to thoroughly investigate 120 households about six main outcomes accomplished by the project up until 2021. The project has achieved great outcomes from the village to the provincial levels. However, the project work still has a potential to be scaled to the National Target Program on New Rural Development (NTM) given its interest in developing resilient communities in climate-vulnerable regions across the country applying the CSV approach in its 2021-2025 strategy. Despite the closing of the CCAFS program by December 2021, this most important scaling pathway will be continued by the VIBE 2018.05 (funded by the Irish Aid) and COALESCE/2020/34 (funded by the Irish Research Council) under the management of Vietnam National University of Agriculture – a long-term strategic partner of the CCAFS program in the NRM

Scaling the Climate-Smart Village model in national-level programs: The recommendations for adoption in the implementation of the Nông Thôn Mới (Vietnam’s National Target Program on New Rural Development) 2021-2030 Strategy

The New Rural Development Program or Nông Thôn Mới (NTM) is a national target program of Vietnam that has enabled 57% of rural communes to achieve the NTM status, which aims to raise the socio-economic standard of living of small communities while facilitating agricultural development. Agricultural development is threatened by the impacts of climate change, which carries high risk for an agriculture-dependent country like Vietnam. This Info Note discusses how the Climate-Smart Village (CSV) model can be applied in the NTM to help the communities under this program achieve “advanced” and “demonstration” status based on 19 criteria. Recommendations were listed on how to integrate the CSV model into the NTM

Access to Digital Information and Protective Awareness and Practices towards COVID-19 in Urban Marginalized Communities

Due to digital inequality, poor living, and health care conditions, marginalized people are the most vulnerable group to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined how digital information influences knowledge, practices, threat appraisals, and motivation behaviors of urban marginalized communities. It examined slum people’s digital competencies, their access to COVID-19 online information, and their trust in COVID-19 information provided by both online and offline media. A total of 453 slum people in Bangkok city, Thailand were surveyed, and multiple regression was performed to examine whether socio-demographic factors influence the access to online communication of slum people. We hypothesized that access to online information might affect marginalized people’s awareness of COVID-19 and resulted in greater levels of their practices and protective behaviors. The finding showed that slum people who had access to online information tended to have a better awareness of self-protection against COVID-19, while elderly, female, and foreign migrant workers faced a number of constraints in accessing COVID-19 online information. Such results are important considering the pandemic is compelling societies to turn toward digital technologies to confront the COVID-19 pandemic and address pandemic-related issues. We also discuss how to enhance the role of digital communication in helping urban marginalized communities during and after the pandemic

A conceptual digital twin for cost-effective development of a welding robotic system for smart manufacturing

With rapid technology advancements and impacts of digital trans-formation technologies, there have been a lot of efforts in recent years at the global and national scope to develop technology eco-systems moving toward Industry 4.0. There has also been a growing number of studies about optimization of process parameters based on AI, IoT and Bigdata analytics, including CNC machining, additive manufacturing, as well as industrial welding with robots, for development of Smart Manufacturing (SM), which is one of the key elements of Industry 4.0. However, there are challenges to fully develop and apply in industrial practices the ideal SM models in the next 5 to 10 years. It is necessary to develop the cost-effective SM models that are easy to understand with a high level of applicability in practice and adoptability for SMEs. In this paper, a conceptual digital twin is proposed, with the focus on cost-effective design and development of a welding robotic system for smart manufacturing