This report summaries major achievements of the CARD project entitled “Improvement of operator skills and technology in small rural sawmills in Vietnam”. An extensive survey of the needs of the rural sawmilling industry has identified the current and future prospects for forest industries in Vietnam. It highlights the very significant importance of this industry to the economy of Vietnam and future well being of rural populations. | Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development CARD Program DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL FOREST INDUSTRIES IN VIETNAM Project title Improvement of operator skills and technology in small rural sawmills in Vietnam Project code CARD 027 06 VIE Authors Prof. Peter Vinden1 Philip Blackwell1 and Dr. Pham Duc Chien2 Project Implementing organisations 1 The University of Melbourne Australian Centre for Advanced Wood Processing 2 Forest Science Institute of Vietnam SUMMARY This report summaries major achievements of the CARD project entitled Improvement of operator skills and technology in small rural sawmills in Vietnam . An extensive survey of the needs of the rural sawmilling industry has identified the current and future prospects for forest industries in Vietnam. It highlights the very significant importance of this industry to the economy of Vietnam and future well being of rural populations. The CARD project has trained a core team of Vietnamese scientists in the technologies current and future that will assist the industry to develop. Visits to rural sawmills during the conduct of the survey has provided an audit of their operations as might be undertaken during a sawmill improvement program . The opportunity for providing advice on improving the operational efficiency of the sawmill drying or treatment facility was taken together with on-site training of Vietnam researchers in the application of sawmill improvement programs. Vietnamese research staff attended an intensive training program at the School of Forest and Ecosystem Science Creswick campus University of Melbourne Australia and learned about the hands on operation of sawmills the alleviation of growth stresses the efficient operation of kilns and treatment plant quality control monitoring of finished products value added manufacturing and new low tech technologies to assist expansion of sawmilling operations into value adding. The same Vietnamese staffs participated in the development of training courses and
