11agtt-5790 - Continued twinning support to forest producers' organizations in Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam

Thua Thien Hue Cooperative Alliance

Finland/MTK/AgriCord started the first projects for improving family forestry services in Vietnam by a one year pilot implementation in 2010. Experiences of the first year with support to the Thua Thien Hue province are positive. The need for support has been confirmed and the twinning partners (TTHCA and Yla-Savo Forest Management Association) are working well together. Farmers are satisfied with the improved access to forestry services. Training has improved knowledge of sustainable forest management, collective procurement of seedlings and inputs have reduced costs by 20-30% and market price information has improved the smallholders’ knowledge of the timber markets. However, longer term support is required for farmers’ to start collective marketing, which may develop into a replicable model for up-scaling. The project will continue in the initial three pilot agricultural cooperatives. The total direct outreach is 870 households. Capacity building aims at developing the agricultural cooperatives into efficient forest owners’ service organizations with the following expected achievements: • Replicable model of smallholder forest producers’ cooperation is created. • The forest producers’ organizations are feasible and financially sustainable with profitable business activities.

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