An overview of the training

 
Participating in the training course were officials of VNFU at all levels, representatives of the forest and farm production cooperatives, cooperative groups from Yen Bai, Bac Kan, Hoa Binh and Son La provinces, especially the partners of FFF Program in Vietnam such as Forest Economic Research Center, Silviculture Research Institute, Forestry University, Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry.

 
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the training course, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Viet Ha, Member of VNFU Executive Committee, Vice - Director of VNFU External Affairs and International Cooperation Department shared that forest and farm production creates tangible and intangible value. In fact, both the values have an equally important role to play in the socio-economic development of each country as well as in environmental protection. However, in the last years, producers in Vietnam only have got income from the tangible values of forests and farms such as timber, non-timber forest products and agricultural products. Meanwhile, the intangible value, especially the carbon stock of forests and farms, has not been taken into account due to limited scientific and technological capacity and the market for the commodity has not been developed.

 

The training course is essential in the context of Vietnam Government implementing the National Strategy on Climate Change, release of greenhouse gas emissions by the target of net zero emissions by 2050 and pilot the operation of a carbon trade exchange from 2025. On the training course, the participants will practice, exchange, share experiences and practical solutions to quantify carbon stocks from forest production and farms and mitigating impacts from climate change; ensure that farmers get benefits from the carbon market; ensure income for farmers, especially in forestry.

 
Therefore, in order to organize an effective and high-quality training course, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Viet Ha suggested that during the training, the participants need to uphold the sense of responsibility, participate fully and actively in the discussion to find solutions to climate change adaptation, challenges and opportunities of climate change and the role of EX-ACT; identify the impacts of projects, programs and policies on forest and farm production; ensure close and effective coordination between the training management board and the participants. Also, the FAO resourse persons should use simple and easy-to-understand words to convey all the contents so that the participants can grasp and apply them into practice.

 

On August 21-25, 2023, the EX-ACT team will provide the participants an introduction to the EX-ACT tool and to its autonomous use, thereby developing their ability to conduct, evaluate and monitor a carbon balance appraisal in forest and farm production; train them to evaluate quantitative and qualitative impacts of their decisions in terms of climate change mitigation and other externalities. After the training course, the participants are expected to be able to use EX-ACT in project analysis and validate or refute a carbon balance; collect necessary data to inform a carbon balance.