The 7th Session of the International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) Board of Trustees (BOT) was held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on 4 July 2013, a day after the International Symposium on Superfruits: Myth or Truth.
The Board of Trustees meeting was Chaired by HE Dato’ Mohd Hashim Abdullah, Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Malaysia. The Vice Chairpersons of the meeting were Dr. Yi Ganjun, Vice President of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China and Dr. Trinh Khac Quang, Vice President of Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences. TFNet Chief Executive Officer Yacob Ahmad acted as Secretary.
Thirty-six delegates participated in the Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting including 11 country members, 2 associate members, 2 expert members, 14 observers and the TFNet Secretariat.
CEO Yacob presented the TFNet progress report for July 2012-June 2013, including projects and consultancies, capacity building activities, workshops, information dissemination, financial report, and networking efforts with other international organizations. Planned activities for 2013 and 2014 were also presented.
Australia representative Robert Williams and Sudan representative Baldreldin Elshiek Elhassan presented the internal audit report which outlined TFNet’s performance the past year. The auditors also recommended that the current strategic plan has to be revised.
The Board agreed that a strategic plan for 2013-2016 be developed to chart the way for TFNet to be financial sustainable through projects and donors and to attract more country members. The meeting also agreed that a bureau officer from each country be appointed to provide the secretariat with updated fruit price information, market trends, harvest calendar, research and development, and other fruit information in their respective countries.
The Board also appointed two new expert members of the Board: Dr. Hannah Jaenicke and Assoc. Prof Janie Liew, to replace Dr. Sisir Mitra and Dr. Errol Hewitt, whose terms ended recently.
The Board decided that the 8th TFNet Board meeting for 2014 will be held in Malaysia.
BOT Meeting delegates
Chaiperson: HE Dato’ Mohd Hashim Abdullah, Malaysia
Vice Chairperson: Yi Ganjun, China
Vice Chairperson: Trinh Khac Quang, Vietnam
FAO Representative: Kaison Chang
Secretary: Yacob Ahmad, TFNet
Country Members
Fiji: Miliakere Nawaikula
Nigeria: Adenika Olusolape Olufolaji
Sudan: Badreldin Elshiek Mohamad Elhassan
Philippines: Danila Dannug
Australia: Robert Williams
Indonesia: Hasanuddin Ibrahim
India: AK Misra
Sri Lanka: DBT Wijeratne
Associate Members
Crops for the Future: Kwek Mei Tiun
Sime Darby: Mahpudz Sharif
Expert Members
Sisir Kumar Mitra
Errol Hewitt
Observers
Nguyen Minh Chau, SOFRI, Vietnam
Than Than Sein, MFFAV, Myanmar
Juejan Tantherm Thong, AFMA, Thailand
Cecep Effendi, CIRDAP
Edna Anit, PCAARRD, Philippines
Roedhy Poerwanto, Indonesia
Achmad Widodo Heru, Indonesia
Mohd Arif, Malaysia
Tengku Malik Tengku Maamum, Malaysia
Babasola Adelaja, Nigeria
Margarita Brattlof, FAO
Nindawan Leeungculsatien, Thailand
HE Mario Arvelo, Dominican Republic
Secretariat
Palasuberniam Kailannan, TFNet
Christian Anthony Cangao, TFNet
Hariyatul Asni Abdullah Rani, TFNet
Mohd Khairul Najmi Abdullah, TFNet
Noor Ba’ah Abdul Said, TFNet
Nguyen Van Son, SOFRI