In order to equip wood processing enterprises in the Central region with sufficient capacity and conditions to participate in VPA/FLEGT process, the FLEGT Project in Central region in collaboration with the Centre for Rural Development in Central Vietnam (CRD), Department for Forest Protection of Quang Tri Province, related stakeholders and wood processing enterprises in Quang Tri Province started to establish a Pilot model of wood processing enterprises adapting requirements of timber legality assurance system (TLAS) in VPA/FLEGT process
The objectives of the model are: (i) To enhance the capacity of wood processing enterprises on FLEGT, LD, TLAS related issues to participate in VPA/FLEGT process; (ii) To support wood processing enterprises to ensure adequate documents and procedures proving legal origin of timber meeting VPA-FLEGT requirements in stages of HARVESTING – PROCESSING – TRANSPORTING; and (iii) To make market connection between wood processing enterprises and forest growing communities/timber export companies to meet the requirements of legal timber towards VPA-FLEGT.
The kickoff workshop on “Pilot model of wood processing enterprises meeting requirements of timber legality assurance system (TLAS) in VPA/FLEGT process” is one of the main activities in the sequence of activities to support local wood processing enterprises. The workshop was held on February 26, 2016 in Quang Tri Province to introduce the pilot model of wood processing enterprises and to select some of such enterprises in Quang Tri Province to take part in the pilot model meeting requirements of TLAS in VPA/FLEGT process.
The workshop attracted more than 40 participants from Quang Tri Department of Forest Protection, CRD, FLEGT Project in Central region, related agencies at provincial and district levels such as Fire prevention and fighting Police Department, Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Tax Department of Quang Tri Province, the People’s Committees and Division of Forest Protection of Trieu Phong District, Dakrong District, Trieu Nguyen Commune, as well as representatives of forest growing groups, companies and wood processing enterprises in Quang Tri Province.
In his speech at the workshop, Mr. Truong Si Hoai Nhan – Director of FLEGT Project in Central region emphasized: “Although the prospects for timber and timber products manufacture and trade in Vietnam has started to thrive, this sector will be confronting many difficulties and challenges in the coming time. As revealed through researches and consultation workshops implemented in recent years by the project, the biggest difficulty at present is that wood processing and export enterprises have to prove the legal origin of timber. It means that those enterprises need to meet the requirements in the supply chain of timber in all stages of plantation – harvest – transportation – processing – export to prove that the timber exporting to EU countries are of legal origin and meet the requirements of VPA-FLEGT.
At the workshop, the technical consultant groups from CRD presented the results of baseline survey on the actual ability to meet the requirements of legal timber under VPA-FLEGT of forest growing households and wood processing enterprises, the pilot model of wood processing enterprises meeting requirements of TLAS in VPA/FLEGT process; the advantages and benefits of wood processing enterprises when involving in the model; and the criteria for selection of wood processing enterprises to take part in the model in Quang Tri Province. Accordingly, technical support from FLEGT Project in Central Region will contribute to raising awareness, updating information and knowledge about VPA/FLEGT, promoting market connection between wood processing enterprises and forest growing groups/timber export companies to ensure legal forest growing and harvesting as well as to guarantee source of wood raw material and market for wood sector. .
The workshop was also an opportunity for forest growing groups and wood processing enterprises to discuss and to listen to sharing from management agencies in forestry sector and related agencies on the ability to adapt legal timber and market connection between forest growing groups and wood processing enterprises, thereby selecting 05 enterprises to participate in the pilot model in Quang Tri Province. After successfully building the model of wood supply chain and processing meeting requirements of legal timber under VPA/FLEGT process in Quang Tri Province, the project will conduct documentation and experience sharing serving as a basis for replication to other provinces in the Central region.
Souvenir photograph between FLEGT Project and workshop participants
FLEGT – Project in Central Region