Creating sustainable livelihoods helps women escape poverty in Cu Lao Dung.

Women4Mangrove is an applied science research project to be implemented over 14 months (September 30, 2025 - November 30, 2026) in An Thanh and Cu Lao Dung communes, Can Tho City. The project is carried out by the United Nations Environment Programme in collaboration with partners.

Scenes from the project launch ceremony.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, M.Sc., from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City - Project Leader, stated that the project's goal is to establish a nursery and training center for mangrove reforestation run by women. The project also aims to promote sustainable production from mangrove projects and develop agro-community tourism to boost the forest ecosystem and local cultural heritage.

In addition, the project will restore 5 hectares of mangrove forest, raise community awareness, create jobs, and increase income through tea products and community tourism . Specifically, the project empowers women in poverty reduction, sustainable development, and the preservation of indigenous knowledge and folk arts, linking conservation with tourism development.

Mr. Truong Hong Vinh, Deputy Head of the Economic Department of Cu Lao Dung Commune, said that in the context of climate change and the depletion of natural resources occurring strongly globally, mangrove ecosystems play an extremely important role in protecting coastlines, maintaining biodiversity, and ensuring sustainable livelihoods for the community.

Currently, Cu Lao Dung is facing the challenges of climate change, including severe erosion, ecological degradation caused by illegal logging, and the impact of rising sea levels. Local people, especially those living near the forest and the Khmer ethnic group, lack sustainable and viable livelihood options.

Therefore, the locality hopes to find a way forward where mangrove conservation is not a burden, but an opportunity for economic development and improved quality of life. "The project has identified a focus on addressing the issue: putting women at the center and integrating renewable livelihoods (mangrove tea cultivation, community-based agricultural tourism)," Mr. Vinh said.

Mr. Vinh believes that creating women-led livelihoods to conserve the coastal mangrove forests of Cu Lao Dung aims to connect various forces and share practical experiences. Simultaneously, it will provide suggestions for innovative solutions and promote the active participation of women in natural resource management linked to sustainable socio-economic development, through agricultural education tourism and forest conservation models. Furthermore, the project also aims to develop OCOP (One Commune One Product) products in an environmentally friendly manner.

In addition, the project encourages and facilitates the participation of households near the forest, especially women and youth, in training activities, processing OCOP products from mangrove wood, and developing community-based homestay tourism models. Simultaneously, it aims to protect and promote local cultural values, particularly those of the Khmer ethnic group, to enrich the tourism products of Cu Lao Dung. “We have confidence in the capabilities and dedication of the Project Management Board, along with the cooperation of the local people. I expect to create a successful model that can be replicated, helping Cu Lao Dung become a shining example of conservation and sustainable livelihoods in the Mekong Delta,” Mr. Vinh shared.