Few financial services, technical and market information, and training opportunities are available for small-scale forest-based enterprises. Most programs and projects designed to support micro-enterprises have little experience with or interest in these activities. The technical assistance and training programs that do exist tend to take a top-down and technocratic approach. It is important to find ways to help provide small farmers, indigenous peoples, and communities with the skills and information they need, without being paternalistic and detracting from their control over the process.

It is therefore crucial to identify the technical, business, ad financial services necessary for successful small and medium forest enterprises  . The main topics dealt with include: integration and enhancement of such services to promote the development of small and medium forest enterprises; enterprise demand for technical business and financial services and design and delivery of them.