Norwegian Forestry Group AS (NFG) is a network of five separate companies working in the forest and natural resource sector. NFG is organised as a limited company. The shareholders consist of two state owned companies, a private company; an NGO and a co-operative organisation. All the companies are operating commercially in the forestry sector in Norway and abroad, are very well established and have a solid economic base.
In addition, the Norwegian Forestry Research Institute has applied for participation in the company as a fully paid shareholder. NFG has been established with the objective of combining the wide range of know-how and technology to be found in Norway in the field of forestry with the aim of making this available to the international market on a commercial basis. NFG has extensive experience from all aspects of Norwegian forestry, in both the public and private sectors as well as a broad international experience from both forestry and environmental related projects.
Most operational and management issues are covered by NFG experts, with emphasis on planning from seed to sawmill. NFG can advise on other small-scale, wood-based industries as well as on product transfer from industry to the consumer. Within its own staff, NFG has numerous specialists (more than 500 professionals), both technical and academic personnel, who can design and implement projects, carry out studies and assessments or undertake research and development work on a short- or long-term basis.
The Norwegian Forestry Group (NFG) jointly with its local partners has accomplished the project “Rural development by means of vocational training within the forestry and environmental sector in Tajikistan” during the period of 2012 -2015. The project’s working process was characterized by a diversified action plan related to the project’s objectives and relevant to the local target groups. Each step of the implementing process was jointly and consensually organized with the involved partners and stakeholders.
The project has elaborated instructive materials illustrating useful and updated information; reflecting several factual needs, problems and challenges facing the forestry and land use in Tajikistan, and recommending realistic and appropriate solutions and alternatives. Most of the trainings/courses implemented in the framework of the project activities have been systemized and edited into training material and as conference proceedings.
Some concrete results can be mentioned:
In the implementation the project works in close cooperation with their main partner in Tajikistan, the State Forest Agency. In addition the Adult Training Center of Tajikistan (ATCT) has played an important role. From the private sector the local NGO’s as Zan va Zamin and MSDSP (Mountain Societies Development Support Programme) has been valuable partners in addition to the local communities and persons involved.
