According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Environment, by the end of 2025, the province will have 489,408.91 hectares of forested land, with an estimated forest cover rate of 54%, placing it among the localities with the highest forest cover rates nationwide. These forests not only play a protective role, regulating water resources and protecting the ecological environment, but also constitute a rich biological resource with 2,432 plant species and 548 animal species, many of which have high scientific, medicinal, and economic value.
The mountainous terrain, cool climate, high humidity, and high proportion of forest land provide favorable conditions for the province to develop its forest-based economy. Currently, the province has over 10,700 hectares of medicinal plants and non-timber forest products, of which about 9,000 hectares are planted under the forest canopy. Many plants such as cardamom, amomum xanthioides, Panax notoginseng, Lai Chau ginseng, and seven-leaved one-branched flower are gradually becoming key crops, linked to the livelihoods of people in many localities. In particular, the province has over 280,000 hectares of land with an absolute altitude of over 900m, of which forest land accounts for 75%. Lai Chau is considered to have enormous potential for developing its forest-based economy, especially in the cultivation of medicinal plants.
In a conversation with us, Ms. Pham Thi Lan Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, affirmed: Developing the economy under the forest canopy is a suitable direction for the province's natural conditions. Organizing production along the value chain will gradually expand linkages to both improve economic efficiency and protect and sustainably develop forests. Based on this, localities in the province have proactively selected suitable crops, flexibly adapted their methods, and gradually concretized the policy with models that closely match the actual conditions of each region.
Practical experience shows that when people are properly guided and supported by local authorities, forests are not only preserved but also become a sustainable source of livelihood. Khun Ha commune is one of the leading localities in transforming production under the forest canopy. Previously, people's lives mainly depended on growing corn and rice, resulting in unstable income, and deforestation for slash-and-burn farming was still prevalent. Recognizing the long-term consequences, the commune's Party committee and government have intensified propaganda and mobilization efforts to encourage people to switch to growing medicinal plants under the forest canopy – plants suitable to the climate and soil conditions and with high economic value. To date, the entire commune has developed approximately 480 hectares of medicinal plants under the forest canopy, mainly cardamom, amomum xanthioides, Lai Chau ginseng, and some other valuable medicinal plants. Thanks to the application of proper technical procedures, the plants grow steadily, bringing in revenue of 80-200 million VND/hectare/year, many times higher than the previous corn and rice cultivation.
Not only Khun Ha, but many other highland communes such as Bum Nua, Sin Ho, Si Lo Lau… are also gradually developing economic models under the forest canopy. Among them, Si Lo Lau commune, with its unique ecological conditions, has seen many households boldly switch to different production methods, forming concentrated medicinal herb cultivation areas. A prime example is the family of Ms. Phan Ta May (Sin Chai village), one of the pioneering households. Starting with an initial area of only 400m² to try growing Lai Chau ginseng and seven-leaf one-branch flower, after seeing the plants grow well, the family expanded the area to 2 hectares. To date, nearly 800 medicinal plants over 5 years old have yielded harvests, bringing the family an income of 400 million VND. Currently, her garden still has more than 2,000 Lai Chau ginseng and seven-leaf one-branch flower plants aged 1-2 years, promising continued high economic value in the coming years.
Similarly, the family of Mr. Tan Sai Song (La Nhi Thang village, Si Lo Lau commune) began experimenting with growing Lai Chau ginseng on an area of only 100m² in 2015. Seeing that the plant adapted well and had high economic value, Mr. Song persevered in expanding the scale. To date, his family has developed a medicinal herb garden of up to 5,000m², with more than 10,000 plants of various types, including *Thất Diệp Nhất Chi Hoa* (a type of medicinal herb). Through this, they are gradually stabilizing their lives and moving towards commodity production linked to forest protection.
Despite positive results, the development of the forest-based economy in Lai Chau still faces many challenges. Production remains fragmented and small-scale; value chain linkages are not yet strong; the application of science and technology and deep processing are limited; and product outlets are not truly stable. Currently, only two forest owners in the province have had their projects for developing medicinal plants under the forest canopy approved, covering a total area of over 75,500 hectares, but the area under production through linkages is only about 25 hectares. This reality shows that the forest-based economy is still in its formative stage and needs continued support for sustainable development.
When preserved and their value is sustainably promoted, forests are not only the "green lungs" of the country, but also become a solid foundation for long-term livelihoods, contributing to a prosperous spring for the ethnic communities in the province.
Source: https://baolaichau.vn/kinh-te/khai-thac-loi-the-duoi-tan-rung-1043993
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