Bangkok, Thailand - During their visit to Thailand to participate in the UN-ESCAP 80th Annual Session, the Executive Director (ED) of the International Coconut Community (ICC), Dr. Jelfina, and the Market and Statistics Officer (MSO), Mr. Alit, engaged in a productive courtesy call with Dr. Wilaiwan Kraikruan, the National Liaison Officer (NLO) of Thailand for ICC at the Department of Agriculture, Thailand. The meeting aimed to strengthen collaboration and exchange knowledge for the advancement of the coconut sector.
Dr. Jelfina presented an overview of ICC's programs and activities, highlighting upcoming sessions and ministerial meetings where Dr. Wilaiwan, as the NLO, will act as the Vice Chairman of ICC. Expressing mutual interest, they discussed participation in the upcoming 51st COCOTECH International Conference and Exhibition, where Thailand is willing to share their new research findings to contribute to the discourse on coconut industry innovations.
The discussions between Dr. Jelfina, Mr. Alit, and Dr. Wilaiwan delved into various aspects of capacity building, tissue culture technology, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the coconut sector. Of particular significance was the positive response from the Department of Agriculture (DoA) to ICC's request to share parasitoid Asecodes hispinarus, a natural enemy for controlling the coconut pest Brontispa longissima.
Recognizing the importance of cooperative efforts, DoA affirmed its willingness to collaborate with ICC by providing the parasitoid for study in Indonesia. As Indonesia lacks this crucial parasitoid, the collaboration aims to propagate it and assess its effectiveness in controlling the Brontispa longissima pest. ICC has facilitated the transfer of the parasitoid to the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) of Indonesia for further propagation and research. This collaborative initiative underscores ICC's commitment to fostering partnerships and sharing expertise to address challenges in the coconut sector. By leveraging shared knowledge and resources, ICC and its partners aim to enhance the resilience and sustainability of coconut farming communities.