For the first time in Kon Tum, Ja Rai ethnic minority community in Ka Bay village, Ho Moong commune, Sa Thay district was officially recognized the title over 30.8 hectares of the traditional forestland on the basis of Joint Circulars07/TTLT-BNN & BTNMT. This event is great significant not only for the sovereign, but also contributing to maintain the spirit and livelihood spaces of the Ja Rai.

After taking part in different forums organized by SPERI and its Land Right Alliance, notably the National Workshop in November 2012 regarding land management and utilisation in ethnic minority community of the upland Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Van Niem, Chairman of the Fatherland Front in Ho Moong commune (Sa Thay district, Kon Tum province) realized the necessarity of granting the land titles to local resettled ethnic minority communities in forest management as well as improving people's lives. He submitted the idea to Ho Mong People's Committee and seeked relevant agencies and scientists to assess the current use and management of forestland resources in Ka Bay village. Then, they together worked to mobilize local resources to support the implementation of forest and land allocation to Ja Rai community in Ka Bay. This effort has also been agreed and joined hands by local peoples, the Ho Moong People's Committee as well as governments and departments at district and province i.e. People's Committee, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Kon Tum Union of Science and Technology.


Ceremony in granting land title to Ka Bay community

Given the proposal of Ho Moong People's Committee, pursue to the Document No. 1670/UBND-KTN, Kon Tum People's Committee assigned Kon Tum Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to guide Sa Thay People's Committee and Ho Moong People's Committee in collaboration with Kon Tum Union of Science and Technology Association to implement forestland allocation to the Ja Giai community in Ka Bay village in Ho Moong commune.

As a result, in November 2013 the Ja Giai ethnic minority community in Ka Bay has been granted the title to manage 30.8 ha of forestland including 22.8 ha of protected forest and 8 ha of spirit forest. This effort would not only bring about the exclusive rights of the Ja Giai people in Ka Bay to the traditional domain, but further ensurance of their livelihood and cultural spiritual spaces within the resettled area.

Although implemented with the small scale, but this is the first initiative in Kon Tum in regard to granting the forestland right to local communities on the basis of Joint Circular 07/TTLT-BNN & BTN-MT (2011). This initiative was started from the efforts and lessons learned of the pilot projects consulted by SPERI and its Land Right Alliance regarding forestland allocation to local ethnic communities. Notably, this initiative is consensus, then jointly implemented by various local agencies and governments.