As part of the 2025 AIN 8748 Project Plan, the AIN 8748 Project Management Board at the Center for Climate Change Study in Central Vietnam (CCCSC) hosted a training workshop on “Business of Certified Plantation Timber” from September 18-21, 2025. The workshop’s goal was to enhance the business capacity of cooperatives in Nghe An province and member cooperatives of the Hue City Cooperative Alliance (TPHCA) in certified timber trade.
The training was led by Ms. Nguyễn Thị Thuỳ Dung, an independent forestry consultant. The course was attended by over 17 participants from various cooperatives, including Thanh Thuy Agro-Forestry Cooperative, Minh Thanh Agricultural Services and Construction Cooperative, and Quỳnh Tam Agricultural Cooperative from Nghe An province. Representatives from the Hue City Cooperative Alliance and its member cooperatives also participated, including Thủy Phương, Thủy Dương, Hòa Mỹ, A Roàng Agricultural-Medicinal Herbs, Phú Bài, and Thủy Phù Agricultural Cooperatives.
The training curriculum focused on several key areas:
- Providing participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to plan group household plantation businesses and to trade in FSC-certified timber.
- Ensuring transparency in the business of buying and selling FSC-certified timber for household group members.
- Guiding cooperatives and the Cooperative Alliance on how to connect with markets for certified timber products.
- Instructing participants on the procedures for trading certified timber to meet EUDR (European Union Deforestation Regulation) requirements.
As part of the training, participants also took a field trip to the Hiep Thuan Agricultural Cooperative in Da Nang. This cooperative is a pioneer in the region, focusing on sustainable, large-timber plantation development.
By the end of the workshop, participants were equipped with the knowledge and skills to develop business plans for group plantations and to prepare certified timber sales documents. They gained practical experience in drafting timber purchase, harvesting, and transportation contracts. They also learned how to file applications for harvesting and prepare timber product manifests according to new regulations from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. This training will enable cooperatives to independently plan their business operations and complete the necessary procedures for trading FSC-certified plantation timber.
