International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) is an independent and self-financing global network originally established under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It is now an intergovernmental and inter-institutional international organization, with the mandate and role to promote sustainable global development of the tropical fruit industry in relation to production, consumption and trade. It is membership-based, with members acting through one lead agency on inter-country decisions. It is based in Malaysia.

 

TFNet is an expanding network with 283 members from 45 countries, 14 of them are country members: Australia, Bangladesh, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, and Vietnam. It also has 21 associate members composed of companies and organizations and 248 ordinary members.

 

Activities of TFNet include conducting consultancies and studies, project implementation, and organizing workshops, conferences, and seminars.

 

Vision

TFNet will be a leading global player in facilitating international cooperation in production, consumption, logistics, marketing and trade development in the global tropical fruit sector.

 

Mission

TFNet will collaborate among member countries to deliver innovations for the tropical fruit industry with assets and services:

  • To scale up income for tropical fruits smallholders, by enhancing productivity and market access through improved technology and integration into the value chain;
  • To increase the global demand, awareness and trade of tropical fruits through improved safety, quality and conformity practices; and
  • To promote tropical fruit consumption to tackle the issue of imbalanced diets which cause malnutrition and obesity, prevalent in farming and urban communities.

Objectives

Systematically collect, analyse,
document and disseminate information
on production, processing, marketing,
consumption and international
trade of tropical fruits;

Facilitate technical and economic
cooperation in the tropical fruit
sector in pursuance of sustainable
production by strengthening of domestic
and international markets, poverty
eradication, food security and
enhancing the knowledge of value
addition and nutritive values
of tropical fruits;

Facilitate the expansion of
international trade of
tropical fruits;

Promote, coordinate, support
the conservation and use of
germplasm, research and development
and transfer of technologies
in production, postharvest handling
and downstream processing for
industrial use;

Enhance human resource
development in the tropical
fruit sector; and

Expand membership of TFNet to
include Caribbean countries,
Europe, Latin America, more African
and Asian countries, as well as
private entities and individuals.

 

Core Business

 

  • Information Exchange
  • Consultancy
  • International Trade and Marketing
  • Technology Transfer
  • Training
  • Research and Development
  • Postharvest handling
  • Processing
  • Nutritional and Human Health
  • Promotion