The event, held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), reviewed the first three years of implementing the Prime Minister’s initiative on planting one billion trees in the 2021-2025 period.

Accordingly, 344.5 million trees were planted in a scattered manner and the remainders in concentrated areas.

The total capital mobilised to implement the initiative over the past three years came to nearly 9.5 trillion VND (387.83 million USD), of which 23.8% were sourced from State budget and the rest from the public and other sources.

Provinces excelling in implementing the initiative include Lao Cai and Phu Tho in the north, which planted 61 and 52 million trees, respectively. Meanwhile, the Mekong Delta province of Long An contributed 45 million trees, the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai 37 million, and the central province of Nghe An 34 million.

In the 2024-2025 phase, the goal is to grow 492 million more trees, including 98,210 hectares of newly planted forests equivalent to over 216 million trees.

According to the MARD’s Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST), the project faces challenges, including a shrinking land fund for new forest planting and slow allocation of investment capital for annual forest development.

Concluding the conference, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Quoc Tri suggested units and localities involved review and assess the results achieved so far and continue planting trees according to the approved plan. It is also necessary to promote public awareness and participation in the work, he said, highlighting the importance of flexibility and proactiveness in the implementation of the initiative./.VNA