The second day of the Session began with playing the video of the Federated States of Micronesia. The Session continued with the Country Statements presentation by Plenipotentiary Delegates from Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Tonga. The country papers helped in understanding the developmental work undertaken by countries and identifying the replicable models for customized implementation in other countries. They helped in the exchange of ideas and technology and paved the way for possible collaborations between member countries.
Dr. Fabian Dayrit, Emeritus Professor, Ateneo de Manila University, Chairman, Scientific Advisory Committee for Health (SACH), ICC, presented the status and opportunities on the use of VCO against COVID-19: Global COVID-9 Status and niche strategies for VCO vs. COVID-19. The strategies included supplement to address comorbidities, supplement for suspected, mild cases, and post COVID-9 conditions, encourage ICC member countries to conduct studies appropriate to their situations. He emphasized that VCO is a safe, effective, affordable and sustainable supplement against COVID-9.
Report & Plan of Activities of International Coconut Genetic Resources Network (ICC-COGENT) presented by Mr. Vincent B. Johnson, outgoing interim COGENT Coordinator and Erlene C. Manohar, COGENT Coordinator. Mr. Vincent presented the ICG programs, COGENT mandate & membership, COGENT structure, current programs status, and global strategic objectives. Ms. Erlene presented the global strategic plan for the COGENT’s future for sustainable conservation and use of genetic resources, priority issues to be targeted, key strategies to address challenges of the COGENT programs, and recommendations.
Observer organizations that participated are ITPGR, SPC, ACIAR, ITC, NAM CSSTC, CICY, CIRAD, CABI and Bioversity International. The representatives of the organizations presented statements on their activities, potential programs and projects for the development of the coconut sector to be implemented in the member countries with the collaboration of ICC.
Mr. Danielle Manzella, Technical Officer, International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR), FAO, Rome, presented the partnership between ICC and the FAO Plan Treaty, the multilateral system of access, benefit-sharing fund projects, agreement on international collections; the benefits of the agreement with the ITPGR, FAO, ITPGR and COGENT’s collections; and current areas of cooperation with ICC-COGENT.
Ms. Karen Mapusa, Director, Land Resource Division, Pacific Community (SPC), Fiji, underlined the long-standing collaboration and partnership with the ICC. SPC member countries highly valued the training and webinar on coconut productivity, pests and diseases, coconut sugar, Nata de Coco, coconut husk, and the Coconut Development Officers Training hosted by the ICC. She also described the ongoing programs and projects in SPC member countries, with the hope that as the Pacific Community moves forward with these various initiatives and partnerships, they will bring more depth to the partnership with ICC and be better positioned to act as a multiplier and facilitator of SPC’s joint works with ICC in the Pacific Islands region and look forward to ongoing and deepen strategic collaboration.
Ms. Irene Kernot Research Program Manager Horticulture, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Canberra, introduced ACIAR purposes, which aims to achieve more productive and sustainable agricultural systems for the benefit of developing countries and Australia, through international agricultural research partnerships. ACIAR’s activities are establishing projects of Research and Development, support for capacity building and contributing core funding to international research organizations. She outlined ACIAR’s 10-year strategy, which started from 2018 to 2027. She also delivered ACIAR’s current related projects and future involvement of ACIAR in the coconut sector.
Mr. William Castro Rodriguez, Project Manager, Inclusive Agribusiness Systems, International Trade Centre (ITC), Geneva, introduced the ITC a joint agency of the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), established 1964 in Geneva, Switzerland. ITC’s contributions to MSMEs mainly are to open access trade and market intelligence, increase trade and investment, raise competitiveness and connect MSMEs to regional and international. He also delivered ITC’s action plan and activities related to the coconut sector and ICC.
H.E. Ambassador Diar Nurbintoro, Acting Director, Non-Aligned Movement Centre for South-South Technical Cooperation (NAM CSSTC), Jakarta, delivered the presentation on strengthening cooperation between the NAM CSSTC and ICC, in which he explained the challenges member countries facing, strategies, several activities and programs in collaboration between both parties, and ICC’s role to NAM CSSTC.
Dr. Carlos M. Oropeza Salin, Centre de Investigation Cientifica de Yucatan (CICY), Mexico, delivered CICY’s objectives and fields of collaboration with ICC and other institutions in the coconut sector.
Dr. Laurance Ollivier, Coconut Focal Point, French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), France, presented the CIRAD profile, organization structure, working principle, CIRAD programs and activities in the coconut sector, and highlighted the MoU executed between CIRAD and ICC,
Dr. Feng Zhang, Regional Director East & Southeast Asia, China, Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), presented CABI’s Contributions towards sustaining the coconut sector, in which he highlighted the CABI profile, areas of expertise for the coconut industry, CABI Compendia, CABI’s interests in the coconut sector, potential areas of collaboration with ICC, publications, journal indexing, and information available. He expected a closer partnership with ICC to strengthen the resilience and function of a healthy ecosystem for sustainable coconut production under global changes.
The second day of the session was very informative and productive.