According to Deputy Minister Nguyen Quoc Tri, the acacia industry, following a sustainable value chain, needs to improve mechanisms to support acacia growers, and provide credit to encourage investment in large-scale timber forests and deep processing.
On October 8th, the Vietnam Academy of Forestry Science, in collaboration with the Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Australian Aid, and the International Federation of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), organized the Forum on Connecting Research, Industry, and Innovation in the Sustainable Acacia Value Chain.
Acacia research priorities by 2035
Vietnam currently has approximately 2.5 million hectares of acacia forests, out of a total of about 3.5 million hectares worldwide . This is a key raw material for the timber industry, closely linked to the livelihoods of about 1.5 million households. Improving the efficiency of acacia plantations directly affects forest growers, the competitiveness of businesses, and the added value of the wood processing and timber export industries.
Vietnam began developing acacia forests extensively in the 1990s, with the selection and introduction of hybrid acacia into production creating a new phase of development. From 2010 to the present, the mindset has gradually shifted from planting forests to green barren land to developing large-timber forests, linked to multiple uses and increasing value.
Speaking at the forum, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Quoc Tri said: "The achievements in the development of acacia plantations are a proud journey of many generations of managers, scientists, businesses, and forest planters."
According to the Deputy Minister, the forestry sector has received significant investment in research in recent years, with many projects and programs capable of spreading into practical production. At the same time, the sector has identified the need to design appropriate support mechanisms to enable smallholder forest farmers to participate in sustainable forest management; promote long-term, transparent linkages between factories and raw material areas; and implement solutions such as credit, forest insurance, and mechanisms to encourage investment in large timber, deep processing, traceability, and value enhancement throughout the entire chain.
Based on the discussions at the workshop, priority research areas for 2035 were identified, including multi-trait, resistance-oriented breeding; differentiation of forest traits according to site conditions and risks; improving forest health and biosafety; developing deep processing, new materials, and the circular economy ; and other issues related to economics, policy, and carbon.
In 2025, Vietnam's exports of wood and forestry products are expected to reach approximately $17.2 billion. However, a large proportion of plantation timber is still used in the production of wood chips and wood pellets.
According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Chairman of the Vietnam Wood and Forest Products Association (VIFOREST): "The highest value is created at the end of the chain." The wood industry needs to shift more from wood chips to veneer, plywood, MDF, laminated wood, components and furniture, products with higher design content and added value.
To increase the value of each cubic meter of timber, a synchronized approach involving science, production, finance, design, markets, ESG requirements, and policies is needed. This includes credit tailored to the long-term tree cycle, forest protection and insurance mechanisms, long-term linkages between businesses and forest growers, forest certification, and carbon credits.
VIFOREST also proposed the goal of gradually building the "Vietnamese Acacia" brand, thereby making acacia a recognized and preferred material in the international market, with clear origin, regenerative capacity, responsible management, sustainable production, and appropriate design.
Long-term investment in the timber industry.
Nicholas Hogarth, Director of ACIAR's Forestry Program, expressed his positive impressions after a field visit to Tuyen Quang province as part of the workshop.
From scale, regional raw material linkages to processing facilities and export products of some FSC-certified small and medium-sized wood processing and veneer production facilities, to large-scale furniture factories. "What we are witnessing is not simply a successful forestry industry, but also a transformation process in rural areas," he said.
Over the past three decades, ACIAR has invested approximately AUD 28 million in forestry-related research in Vietnam, implementing 16 projects along with investments in infrastructure, research, and training. Programs range from genetic resources, tree breeding, silviculture, land management, processing, value-added, and more recently, policy.
According to Nicholas Hogarth, the achievements of Vietnam's plantation forestry sector are the result of contributions from many organizations and partners. This also serves as a basis for scientists, management agencies, businesses, and forest growers to continue collaborating in research, technological innovation, building financial mechanisms, and developing markets, thereby increasing the value of acacia forests and strengthening the foundation for Vietnam's timber industry.
Regarding the challenges facing acacia trees, according to a report by the Vietnam Forestry Science Institute, the narrow genetic range of acacia plantations poses a challenge in breeding programs. The risk of storms and floods directly impacts production cycles and economic efficiency. Meanwhile, extending the forest cycle also places higher demands on land management, forest health, and pest and disease control.
Source : Vietnam.vn
