Chrysopogon zizanioides or Dianella ensifolia was found planted alot in the forest of Chau Cuong commune and another mountainous communes in Nghe An province. This tree is of high economic value. It is used for producing incense and distilling attar, making drug.
Chau Cuong is a mountainous commune of Quy Hop district. The commune has population of 4663 in which Thai ethnic people take up 86.2%. Most of Thai people are working in agriculture and and exploitng forest product to live in. For the past 4 years, the majority of special-use and protection forests have been managed by the local government and the people are not allowed to entrance. Therefore, most of Thai people (the majority is women and children) have exploited the forest products illegally for their seek of living that forest resources are being destroyed while people's living condition remains difficult.
The project " development of demonstration model of Chrysopogon zizanioides and capacity training of incense-stick making for Thai minority people at Chau Cuong commune" likes to address those problems. The project is designed to create sustainable likelihood for Thai people contributing to protect forest and environment, and then alleviating the poverty. Specific objectives include (i) Raising awareness for local authorities and community about new production method through trainings, workshop and media. At the same time, relationships of stakeholders participating in the project are strengthened. (ii) Developing model of agriculture and forestry's cultivation combining planting Chrysopogon zizanioides with making incense-stick for community of 3 mountain villages of Chau Cuong commune, creating more jobs and improve living condition for ethnic minority particularly women contributing to maintain biodiverdity, protect land and improve the protection function of the forest.

Project activites includes: (i) Assessment on social economic and forest resource conditions of Chau Cuong commune, Quy Hop district, Nghe An province. (ii) Meeting amongst local government at all levels and community to be agreed on the project and to select the project's household. (iii) Study-visit about model of Chrysopogon zizanioides and production bases of incense-stick (iv) Survey and design of model of Chrysopogon zizanioides ; training for communities on planting Chrysopogon zizanioides then actively participating in planing Chrysopogon zizanioides (v) Training for households to make incense-stick and simultaneously orienting maket for the product (vi) dissemination materials (pano, video clip on project activites, leaflets and guidance handbook on planting technique of Chrysopogon zizanioides) developed.

Expected Results
1 Develop the 13-ha incense cultivation model, including:
- Grow 7ha of incense monoculture, which was carried out on a relatively flat land.
- Grow 6-ha intercrop of incense and forest trees (such as acacia) on slope terrains, in order to increase protection of land from erosion and runoff, preserve and expand biodiversity values.
- Establish the incense-roots supply source for the market.
2 Enhance awareness and knowledge in cultivating, harvesting, and preserving incense-roots as well as incense-making craft for local people and officials in the participating villages and commune. Local people can perform accounting for the inputs and outputs of incense cultivation process and incense-making craft.
- 150 participants from households, villages and communes are trained in cultivating, harvesting, and preserving incense-roots, as well as the costs of inputs and outputs of incense cultivation.
- Organize 1 study tour in incense cultivation and incense-making, including 1 trip for 20 officials from different deparments at the district and commune levels, and 2 trips for 50 participants including households as well as village leaders (1 to visit the incense cultivation model, and 1 to visit incense-making model).
- Organize 5 conferences on incense cultivation at the district, commune and village levels; 1 workshop to assess the effectiveness of the model, 1 consultation workshop with relevant authorities regarding the technical process of incense cultivation, 1 project completion conference.
- 50 participatns from 3 participating villages received trainings in incense-making, including the preparation of materials, mixing, processing incense sticks and paper, wrapping incense. Implement the incense-making model in 3 participating villages.
- 2,000 leaflets and 500 books were printed, including the introduction of UNDP and its logo, GEF SGP, and introduction of incense-roots cultivation, tending, harvesting, and preserving techniques, as well as of incense-making craft. 3 posters, 1 video clip were created, together with several news and documentaries of project activities and model.