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NAM CSSTC’s Continued Support for the Coconut Industry: Participation in the International Workshop on Strengthening Coconut Genebanks
Kasaragod, India, 2-5 September 2025.
From 2 to 5 September 2025, the Non-Aligned Movement Centre for South-South Technical Cooperation (NAM CSSTC) participated in the commemoration of World Coconut Day and the International Workshop on “Strengthening Coconut Genebanks for a Climate Resilient and Sustainable Future”. The event was hosted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research–Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (ICAR–CPCRI) in Kasaragod, India.
As part of its dedication to capacity building and knowledge exchange, NAM CSSTC provided financial support to facilitate the participation of Dr. Steivie Karouw from the Ministry of Agriculture of Indonesia, who currently serves at the International Coconut Genebank–Southeast Asia (ICG-SEA), in the ICC-COGENT Workshop. Through this support, NAM CSSTC reaffirmed not only its longstanding partnership with the International Coconut Community (ICC) but also its role as a catalyst for advancing development agendas, including those related to sustainable agriculture and the resilience of the coconut sector.
H.E. Ambassador Diar Nurbintoro, the Director of NAM CSSTC, had the honor to deliver the opening remarks, where he recognized the workshop’s importance as a strategic platform to promote the conservation and utilization of coconut genetic resources through global networks. He stressed that such collaborative efforts are vital in facing the current challenges of climate change, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring the ability to meet rising global demand in the coconut sector. The workshop, he added, also serves as a space for South-South cooperation that is grounded in solidarity and a sense of collective responsibility by enabling the exchange of knowledge among experts, stakeholders, and policymakers.
In his capacity as the Chairman of the first session, titled Harnessing Genetic Diversity to Strengthen Breeding Programs: Country Experiences and Lessons Learned, Ambassador Diar guided discussions on the urgency of conserving and wisely utilizing the coconut genetic resource to boost productivity in response to the increasing global demand. The session featured presentations from country representatives of the ICC that highlighted achievements in coconut varietal development, while also acknowledging the need for regeneration, climate-resilient breeding technologies, and global cooperation to face the persistent challenges in the coconut sector.
Recognizing the role of coconut as a crucial source of food for many populations, NAM CSSTC regards the workshop as an important effort to ensure food security, rural livelihoods, and climate resilience in many countries. NAM CSSTC is confident that the outcomes of this workshop will not only strengthen the resilience and innovation of the coconut sector but also deepen international cooperation and solidarity for a more sustainable and food-secure future.(Aulia Luthfi Firdaus).
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