Vietnam has launched a new $102.5 million climate and rural development initiative aimed at reducing emissions, safeguarding forests, and strengthening livelihoods in some of the country’s most climate-vulnerable regions. The program brings together government leadership and international climate finance to demonstrate how environmental protection and inclusive economic growth can advance together.

The initiative, titled Achieving Emission Reduction in the Central Highlands and South Central Coast of Vietnam to Support National REDD+ Action Program Goals (RECAF), is being implemented by the Government of Vietnam in partnership with International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Green Climate Fund. It will channel blended finance into forest protection, climate-smart agriculture, and deforestation-free value chains over a six-year period.

Linking Climate Action With Rural Development

Vietnam’s rapid economic expansion over the past two decades has been accompanied by a sharp increase in greenhouse gas emissions, rising from 0.79 tonnes of CO₂ per capita in 2000 to 3.81 tonnes by 2018. In parallel, deforestation and land degradation in regions such as the Central Highlands have intensified climate risks for farming communities, undermining soil fertility and long-term agricultural productivity.

RECAF is designed to address these pressures by integrating climate mitigation with rural income generation. The project will promote sustainable land use, expand climate-smart agroforestry practices, and strengthen the protection of high-value natural forests. Particular attention is being given to coffee-producing areas such as Dak Lak province, where deforestation and climate stress have increasingly threatened farmer livelihoods.

Officials involved in the launch emphasized the importance of the program’s financing structure. The initiative uses a blended finance model to combine concessional climate funding with public investment, easing pressure on the state budget while extending support to remote and underserved regions.

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Scope, Impact and Regional Focus

RECAF will be implemented by Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in coordination with provincial authorities in Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, and Khanh Hoa. Over its lifetime, the project is expected to deliver measurable environmental and social outcomes.

The program aims to reduce an estimated 6.68 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, restore and improve around 145,000 hectares of agroforestry land, and protect approximately 500,000 hectares of high-value natural forest. Direct beneficiaries are projected to include around 420,000 people, with more than one million rural residents expected to benefit indirectly through improved livelihoods, infrastructure, and ecosystem services.

By supporting farmers to adopt climate-smart practices and linking forest protection with sustainable agricultural production, the project seeks to stabilize incomes while improving resilience to climate shocks.

Market Access, Inclusion and Local Partnerships

A central feature of RECAF is its emphasis on partnerships between farmers, the private sector, and local authorities. The initiative will help small-scale producers improve access to markets, strengthen rural infrastructure, and integrate into deforestation-free supply chains that support long-term economic growth.

The program also prioritizes social inclusion. Women, youth, and ethnic minority communities, who are often disproportionately affected by climate change and land degradation, are expected to benefit directly from project activities. This focus aligns climate mitigation with poverty reduction and community resilience.

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International Climate Finance and Governance Signals

For international climate finance institutions, RECAF reflects a growing emphasis on country-led programs that combine emissions reduction with development outcomes. Representatives from both IFAD and the Green Climate Fund highlighted the initiative as an example of how multilateral finance can support national priorities while delivering tangible local impact.

The project also aligns with Vietnam’s national REDD+ strategy and broader commitments under the Paris Agreement, reinforcing the role of forests and sustainable agriculture in meeting long-term climate targets.

A Longstanding Partnership Framework

IFAD has partnered with Vietnam for more than three decades, financing 16 rural development and climate resilience projects with total investments exceeding $670 million. These initiatives have reached more than 500,000 rural households, building a foundation for programs such as RECAF that operate at larger scale and with more integrated climate objectives.

As climate risks intensify across Southeast Asia, RECAF positions Vietnam as a regional example of how blended climate finance can be used to protect natural capital, strengthen rural economies, and translate global climate commitments into practical, community-level outcomes.

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