KUCHING: A total of 22 officials from the Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) visited the Institute of Forest Tree Improvement and Biotechnology (IFTIB) in Hanoi, Vietnam from October 17 to 21.
The working visit to Hanoi was led by director of Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) Datuk Hamden Mohamamed, (FDS) along with officials from Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), Harwood Timber Sdn Bhd (HTSB), Sarawak Planted Forest (SPF) and Sarawak Timber Association (STA) and representatives from the Plantation Committee, Shin Yang and Ta Ann.
During the work-study visit, Dr. Nguyen Duc Kien, the director of IFTIB brought the delegates to several locations, such as Vietnamese Academy of Forest Science (VAFS) which included IFTIB.
According to a statement, among the other places visited were the Silviculture Research Institute, Research Institute of Forest Industry and Forest Protection Research Institute.
Besides that, other places which FDS visited were Bac Giang City and Centre for Experimental Breeding and Technology Transfer IFTIB in Ba Vi to look at the seed orchards and clonal trials of Acacia hybrids.
The purpose of the work-study visit was to look at the implementation and information related to research and development of the latest Eucalyptus and Acacia species at IFTIB which could intensively expand and enhance forest plantation in Sarawak.
Also present during the work visit to Hanoi were STIDC general manager, Datuk Hashim Bojet, HTSB general manager Zainal Abidin Abdullah, SPF general manager Paul Valentine, and STA chief executive officer, Annie Ting.
