employees working in SMEs and consulting agencies should ensure the quality demanded by sustainable forest management. An MA&D (Marketing Analysis & Development) plan has been chosen as a possible approach in the work of the advisory forest service. The basic purpose of the MA&D is to identify possibilities of establishment and work of SMEs in forestry. The basic goal of advisory support is to increase the contribution of forestry in social development of the Republic of Serbia (Nicholson et al, 2006). Goals should be achieved by the following measures: - expanding of capacities of the public forest service for advisory affairs on the national, regional and local level (Directorate of Forests/ Agency); - support to establishment and development of SMEs in forestry. The first measures should be implemented through education and capacity building for planning, implementation and coordination of establishment and development of SMEs according to the MA&D plan on central, regional, and local levels. The second measure will be implemented to enable owners of SMEs to successfully development their business according to the MA&D plan. Establishment of SMEs in forestry and financial support for private forest owners and their associations represents a priority for the development of services and production . in forestry and the development of private forest sector.
6. PRIVATE FORESTRY IN THE NFP/NFS PROCESS The State has recognized the importance of the private forest sector and its role is emphasized in the Forestry Development Strategy (2006). Measures defined in the strategy provide for development of the private forestry sector and, improvement of forests’ condition and economic situation of their owners. In addition, they give perspectives for development of rural areas. NFAP private forest sector measures include the support for the establishment and development of forest owners’ associations, based on experiences of the previous TCP. The first activities were providing assistance in registering of new pilot PFOAs and promoting the association of forest owners by a number of workshops. Possibilities for establishing of regional associations of forest owners were also presented, along with possibilities for obtaining financing from the budget, as direct support for private forestry. A few projects for obtaining funds for building of forest roads were also prepared. The next activity was a visit of the Serbian PFOA and SME representatives (private forest owners and small businessmen) to Slovenian colleagues and vice versa. The promotion of associations of forest owners, through the FAO projects, successfully contributed to the establishment of a number of new private forest owners associations on a pilot scale. However, in order to successfully promote the interest in associating, direct support to PFOA should be provided. This should include the establishing of the associations opportunities for joint forest management and joint marketing of forest products. In addition, public financing should be assured and made available to FOA. These measures were based on hiring of international and national consultants for coordination of SME activities in forestry extension; economic issues of SMEs, market research of SMEs and rural development activities of SMEs, on establishment, training and work of a core group for market analysis and development (MA & D) of SMEs, on experiences obtained from study tours, and exchange of experiences with a selected foreign partners, as well as on other project support. During the FAO project “Forest Sector Development in Serbia”, the following activities were concluded: -
training of the core group of professionals for implementation of all phases of Market Analysis and Development (MA & D) for SMEs, and training of potential new businessmen in their aspects of the methodology, performed. A number of workshops were organized at
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