KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) welcomed Dr. Cecep Effendi, Director General of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP), during his visit on 10 October 2013.
Effendi and TFNet CEO Yacob Ahmad discussed on possible areas of collaboration between the two international organizations. Like TFNet, CIRDAP was also established under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
CIRDAP is an intergovernmental organisation mandated to facilitate the provision of services that will influence policy formulation and programme action towards rural development and poverty alleviation through a network of contact ministries and link institutions. It is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh and has 15 member countries.
“Anything that can improve farmer income is our business,” said Effendi. Yacob said that TFNet and CIRDAP can collaborate in projects such as fruit tree cultivation that will generate income to smallholders.
Both parties agreed that the value chain approach to improve farmers income should be incorporated in the joint programs. This also includes reducing postharvest losses which are prevalent in many developing countries. Glut situations can be mitigated by processing the fruits. It was proposed that the first joint initiative might involve the use of affordable equipment, for example the vacuum fry machine to process fruits into chips. Thus, a project has been suggested to bring the vacuum-frying technology developed in a TFNet / CIRDAP member country to other CIRDAP member countries.
For policy makers, SMAE tours can be conducted among member countries. This can help improve foreign relations and help facilitate the regional improvement of the tropical fruit industry.
A Memorandum of Understanding is being prepared to formalize the collaboration between the two organizations.
