TFNet’s 8th General Assembly and 14th Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting were held on the 22nd November 2022, in a hybrid mode, with the physical session taking place in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia. The General Assembly was attended by seven TFNet Country Members (Malaysia, China, Fiji, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Vietnam), three TFNet Associate Members (AARDO, CABI and MARDI), two Expert Members, and one Ordinary member. Ten observers from Malaysia and Indonesia were also present, together with the TFNet Secretariat.
The sessions were chaired by the Chairperson of TFNet’s Board of Trustees, Her Excellency Dato’ Haslina Abdul Hamid. The General Assembly commenced with the appointments of two Vice Chairs for the session, China and Fiji.
In her opening remarks, TFNet Chairperson called for the solidified support of all TFNet members to amalgamate efforts to boost the network’s capabilities in developing the tropical fruit industry, further underscoring the need for TFNet’s outlook to remain in step with major challenges witnessed globally. “For TFNet to remain relevant and visible, I hope that this 8th General Assembly will serve as an opportunity for all distinguished delegates to bring forth new ideas and views on how to create greater impact through TFNet’s activities for its members, and for the industry as a whole”, she remarked.
TFNet Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dorothy Chandrabalan presented the 2018-2022 progress report, deliberating specifically on membership growth, financial sustainability, information on symposiums, workshops, capacity development, and corporate communications. She then presented the proposed triennial workplan for 2022-2025 for discussion and adoption by the assembly. Following the report and presentation of the triennial workplan, delegates were invited to extend their recommendations for enhancing the network’s role in the coming years.
During the election of new TFNet Board of Trustees (BOT) for 2022-2025, Malaysia retained the Chairperson position, while China and Fiji were appointed as Vice-Chairpersons. TFNet welcomed two new Associate Members for two terms (2022-2028), which are the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and CAB International (CABI). Dr. Mohamad Roff continues his tenure as Expert Member to the BOT for another term, while the other position for Expert Member remains vacant, pending new nominations from ordinary members. The TFNet Board of Trustees also extended appreciation to the African-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO) as the outgoing Associate Member and Mr Yacob Ahmad as the outgoing Expert Member for the contributions rendered to TFNet during their tenures.
Following the General Assembly, among the salient points raised during the BOT meeting included the urgency for TFNet to step up engagement with members, especially on the usefulness of maintaining membership and making membership attractive; the integral role of the Board of Trustees in identifying funding opportunities which could be tapped and developed further with the TFNet Secretariat for the benefit of TFNet members; and TFNet’s role in bridging the developmental gaps in member countries through deployment of experts from within the network, and capacity development activities.
During the BOT meeting, member countries also cited the need for upscaling and improving production, training and capacity building on activities throughout the tropical fruit value chain, including pest and disease management, the introduction of new fruit varieties and improving propagation techniques. A proposal was also made by China for TFNet to develop a business guide for tropical fruits.
In her closing remarks during the BOT meeting, H.E. Chairperson reminded members to continue supporting TFNet through their annual contributions, and remain engaged with the network. “TFNet’s ideal position as the only international network on tropical fruits should be viewed as a platform for countries and members alike to share information and for boosting collaboration” she concluded.
China has expressed willingness to host TFNet’s 15th Board of Trustees meeting in 2023.
2022- 2025 TFNet Board of Trustees Composition
Chair: Malaysia – H.E. Dato’ Haslina binti Abdul Hamid Secretary General, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Malaysia
Vice Chair: China – Dr. Yi Ganjun, Vice President, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GDAAS) People’s Republic of China
Vice Chair: Fiji – Dr. Vinesh Kumar, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Republic of Fiji
Associate Member Representatives
1. Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute: Dr. Mohamad Zabawi bin Abdul Ghani, Director General
2. CAB-International: Dr. Feng Zhang, Regional Director, East & South-East Asia
Expert Members
1. Dr. Mohamad Roff Mohd Noor, Malaysia
2. Vacant
FAO Representative: Mr. Pascal Liu, Team Leader, International Investment and Tropical Fruits, Trade and Markets Division
Secretary: TFNet CEO
Member Countries
1. Vietnam
2. Indonesia
3. Bangladesh
4. India
5. Sri Lanka
6. Australia
7. Philippines
8. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
9. Sudan
10. Nigeria
11. Syria
Photos
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