Yen Bai (VNA) – A workshop was held in the northernprovince of Yen Bai on December 8 to launch an EU-funded project to enhancecapacity in managing the value chain of herbal plants.

The event drew representatives from the Health Ministry, sponsors aswell as Vietnamese herbal medicine scientists and researchers.

Yen Bai boasts high potential in herbal medicine development as theprovince owns over 630 kinds of herbal plants in 99 communes, along with nearly1,000 traditional remedies to cue 40 groups of diseases. However, some valuableremedies are facing risks of loss, while over exploitation is threatening theexistence of many kinds of plants.

In order to preserve and develop the remedies, the project will encouragethe engagement of social organisations in improving management over the herbal plantvalue chain. It will cover four communes of Dong Cuong, Mai Dong in Van Yendistrict, and Cam An and Bao Ai communes of Yen Binh district.

The project will be implemented in 45 months at a total cost of nearly14 billion VND. It will give direct support to 300 households farming herbalplants in the four benefited localities.

Along with collecting data on herbal plant regions, the project willhold some training courses for locals, support them in farming techniques andpromote the role of the herbal sector in socio-economic development of thelocalities.

At the same time, it will multiply good models in herbal plant farming andtraditional remedies.-VNA