Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai addresses the meeting

(VOVworld)- Vietnam has managed to plant 17,600 ha of mangrove forests over the past 6 years under a project to restore and develop coastal mangrove forests. This has contributed significantly to the protection of coastal forests against natural disasters and climate change. At a meeting with the State Steering Committee for Forest Protection and Development in the 2011-2020 period, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai highlighted the effectiveness of reforestation in coping with climate change: "Planting trees along the coast might be the most effective and cost-efficient way to cope with climate change. So, we should focus on investing in planting protective forests and protecting the environment. We should be aware of the challenges regarding climate change, food security, energy and water resources. To cope with all these challenges, one of the best ways is to plant trees".

Delegates at the meeting stressed the need to enlarge coastal forests from 360,000 ha to 406,000 ha. They said it’s important to integrate the project on afforestation into local agricultural restructuring programs with priorities given to mangrove trees which will help protect our land and increase people’s incomes.