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Scientists Presented Their Technological Innovations during a Workshop on Coconut Development
North Sulawesi Province as one of the regions that produce superior coconut products, received world attention.
This was demonstrated through a meeting of 13 developing countries, such as Bangladesh, Fiji, Kiribati, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Samoa and Indonesia.
These countries would specifically discuss viability of coconut products through the International Workshop on Coconut Development under the theme “Innovation and Collaboration to Sustain Coconut Sector” on 14-17 November 2017.
As an effort of capacity building, the event was initiated by the Non Aligned-Movement Center for South-South Technical Cooperation (NAM CSSTC) and Directorate of Technical Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Research and Development Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia and the Indonesia Palm Crops Research Institute, given Indonesia occupies the first rank for coconut production and second rank for coconut oil production.
The Director of the NAM CSSTC, H.E. Prianti Gagarin Djatmiko Singgih said that through this workshop, various inputs, cooperation potentials and capacity building programs with national and international organizations and institutions would be obtained. “The main thing is to improve the standardization of coconut production, especially for coconut farmers in Indonesia. We also hope that sustainable agriculture or plantation method and strategy from pre- to post-harvest can be applied in other developing countries. In the future, coconut farmers can optimally manage their crops with more added value,” she said at the Swissbell Hotel, Manado, on Monday (14/11).
H.E. Prianti who is also the Expert Staff for Political, Legal and Security Affairs to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia added that the workshop was held in a panel discussion format with various scientific presentations from several research institutes (Indonesian Agency for Research and Development, Indonesian Center for Estate Crops Research and Development, and Indonesia Palma Crops Research Institute), coconut industry experts and the private sectors involved in commercialization of coconut consumptions, nutrition and health or beauty benefits of coconut products. It would also encourage participants to share their stories of successful technical works on sustainable coconut plantation and effective coconut plantation management to improve coconut production.
“The workshop also discusses various economic, social and environmental constraints and limitations of coconut plantation management, coconut pest management, coconut production optimization and efforts and strategies to improve the welfare of coconut farmers. On the last day of the Workshop, we will visit coconut sugar manufacture, as well as coconut processing and coconut seedling units in Indonesia Palma Crops Research Institute,” H.E. Prianti said.
Furthermore, the NAM CSSTC hopes that this international workshop could build a strong awareness of poverty alleviation by ensuring that coconut farmers are part of an important effort to improve the welfare of small farmers and identifying factors hindering the implementation of sustainable palm plantations.
“Representatives of these developing countries are academics and researchers in coconut products and their derivatives, farmer groups, observers of coconut farming, coconut industrial players, and the private sectors,” she added.
Meanwhile, one of the participant from Kiribati, Benjamin Tekanene, hoped there would be innovations of coconut products that would be developed in his country. “I hope to get a lot of benefits from this meeting,” he said.
This article is translated from the news article written by reporter of Sulut Review. View the Indonesian version here:
https://www.sulutreview.com/2017/11/14/13-negara-bahas-kelangsungan-produk-kelapa-di-manado/
Tags: Indonesia, Research, Coconut
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