the fftc - food and fertilizer technology center
TRANSCRIPT
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THE FFTC
STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
FOR 2019-2020
Supplementary Material for the
24th FFTC-TAC Meeting
Food and Fertilizer Technology Center
for the Asian and Pacific Region
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Table of Contents
I. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
II. Historical background ……………………………………………………………………………… 4
-The establishment of FFTC ……………………………………………………………………… 4
- FFTC in response to the timeline of Asian agriculture……………………………… 5
- FFTC as facilitator for policy and strategic changes,
technical innovations, etc. …………………………………………………………………… 7
- Some of FFTC’s significant achievements through the years ……………… 7
- New activities ……………………………………………………………………………………… 8
III. The FFTC Strategic Plan for 2019-2020 …………………………………………………… 10
- Program theme 1: Intelligent agriculture by ICT ………………………………….. 10
- Program theme 2: Value-added agriculture ………………………………… 11
- Program theme 3: Climate-smart agriculture ….………………….………………… 12
- Program theme 4: Environmentally friendly…….……………………………………… 14
- Program theme 5: Rural resources management ….……………………………….. 15
IV. Appendices
Appendix 1: List of FFTC partner organizations ………………………………….….. 16
Appendix 2: Summary of 2017 work program …………………………………….….. 18
Appendix 3: FFTC work program for 2018 ………………………………………….….. 20
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I. Introduction
FFTC stands for Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific region. It is a 48-year
old international organization based in Taiwan whose primary aim is to act as an intermediary between
international and national agricultural organizations in the region, serving as a resource hub on Asian
agriculture to deliver the much-needed information to extension workers, researchers and scientists.
II. Historical background
The establishment of FFTC
The germ of the idea of establishing a Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific
Region was first broached in the late 1960s during a discussion by the member countries of the Asian and
Pacific Council or ASPAC. Established in June, 1966, ASPAC’s mandate was to forge regional
collaboration and solidarity. From the onset, the idea of establishing FFTC was met with general approval
and a committee was set up for detailed planning. By February 1969, an Experts’ meeting was held in
Taipei to examine the technical aspects of establishing a Center. Two documents were drafted which laid
out the basic aims and principles of the Center. One was “an agreement establishing a Food and Fertilizer
Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific Region.” The second was “Guiding Principles for the
Establishment of a Food and Fertilizer Technology Center.” These two documents were approved by the
member countries of ASPAC, and the Agreement was formally signed at Kawana, Japan on June 11,
1969.
FFTC was intended as an information center to serve small-scale farmers in the Asian and Pacific
Region. The Agreement emphasized the need for regional cooperation, and the importance of increasing
both the yields and income of farmers. As the original document of the Agreement of Establishing FFTC
says:
“…Recognizing that the Governments and peoples of the Asian and Pacific Region have a common
interest in strengthening their existing bonds of solidarity and cooperation,
The ASPAC, established in 1966, was mandated to forge regional collaboration and solidarity.
One of the oldest photographs of the FFTC management during the 1970s.
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Being convinced that the increasing agricultural food production and the raising of farmers’ incomes are
of primary importance for the development of the region…”
An interim office was set up on January 1, 1970 and the first staff of the Center was appointed.
Finally, the first Director took office on April 1, 1970, and the Center was inaugurated. Originally, an
Executive Board was created consisting of representatives of nine countries-Australia, Japan, Korea,
Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Until 1975, these member countries
actively participated in FFTC activities. The Australian and New Zealand representatives, in particular
provided the Center with valuable expertise and experiences which helped the Center greatly in setting up
various guidelines, procedures, and rules for operations and management.
However, diverging interests and perceptions limited ASPAC’s organizational capacity and
infrastructure. In 1973, ASPAC started to slowly weaken and dissolve as an organization and Australia
withdrew its membership in 1974, with New Zealand following in 1976. In between, Malaysia,
Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, one after the other, became inactive but did not withdraw their
membership. However, Japan, Korea and Taiwan representatives remained on the Executive Board and
the Center has been able to carry on its work without interruption. In May 1987, the government of the
Philippines again began to appoint delegates to the Executive Board. Although Malaysia and Thailand
have not been officially represented on the Center’s Executive Board since 1976, cooperation between the
Center and these two countries has been strengthened mainly by cooperation with academic and other
agricultural institutions.
Since then, there have been 12 agricultural experts who have served as Directors of FFTC. Today
FFTC has a total of 12 employees. It is headed by a Director who basically provides overall leadership to
its professional and support staff.
FFTC in response to the timeline of Asian agriculture
When the Center was established in 1970, there was food scarcity in Asia, but Taiwan was experiencing
the so- called second stage of agricultural development. Because of the successful land reform in the
country, food was relatively sufficient and farmers owned their cultivation lands. The exportation of fresh
and processed agricultural products became the main goal of the government and the priorities were
breeding of new crop varieties and improvement of cultivation techniques for crops with high export
potential. The resulting large foreign exchange reserve became the foundation for the industry to grow.
Meanwhile other parts of the ASPAC region suffered from severe shortages of both food and
fertilizer in the 1970s. Experts traced this to the lack of technical information among farmers.
Compounding the problem was inadequate fertilizer supply and a shortage of improved seeds. This
agricultural landscape was the foundation that led to the creation of FFTC. At that time, fertilizer
management, particularly for rice, crop variety and pest control, as well as organization of agricultural
cooperatives and other forms of rural organizations were the target topics or themes of FFTC’s seminars
and workshops.
The 1980s, on the other hand, was called the “Agriculture Developed and Industry Developing
Stage,” During this decade, village manpower decreased and labor cost increased as a result of industry
development. Mechanization and automation became the main goal. In order to overcome manpower
shortage, improvement of cultural practices and breeding for high yield crops suitable for machine
operation became a necessity. It was during this period, experts say, that new varieties and techniques for
increasing quality and quantity of crops were developed.
This was also the time when prices of farm inputs started to increase. To address this concern,
FFTC’s emphasis was on improved use of alternative fertilizer resources such as nutrient recycling, green
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manure and biological nitrogen fixation due to increase in prices of farm inputs. In seminars and
workshops, the focus was also on growing high-value crops and raising livestock.
The 1990s saw the fourth stage of agriculture. Coined as “Agriculture Advanced and Economy
Developing Stage,” this period was marked by the flourishing industry, along with the problem of high
labor cost, agriculture manpower shortage and overproduction of rice. In Taiwan for example, the main
goals of the government then were to develop horticultural crops and convert rice paddy fields to
cultivation of other crops. In fact a number of new varieties of high quality and high return crops were
developed and paddy rice was decreased from 780,000 ha to 340,000 ha.
It was during this time when the Center’s main target was sustainable agriculture, with workshop
themes along the lines of maintenance of soil fertility and conservation of resource base. The emphasis
was on topics like integrated systems of insects, disease and weed management with biological control.
The beginning of the new millennium was also the start of the Agriculture adjustment stage. Taiwan
joined the World Trade Organization or WTO in 2002. The resulting free trade had a great impact on
Taiwan’s agriculture. It was in this decade (2000-2010) when conservation of ecosystem and the
environment were in conflict with farmers’ rights. Consumers also became more health conscious,
changing their consumption style to include more fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants. The goals
during this period were coping with high competition especially in the export market, development of
biotechnology for agricultural production, development of automation and mechanization, and
enhancement of research and good quality and safe agriculture.
In order to attune itself to the signs of the times, FFTC paid attention to projects that delved on plant
protection focusing on environmentally friendly farming practices. There were also seminars on farm
machineries, food traceability, climate change, food security and food safety.
The next decade 2011-2020 is a critical period for FFTC since this is the time when not only Taiwan,
but the rest of the world is grappling with issues like greater global competition, expansion of
industrialized agriculture, combined effects of population growth, strong income growth and urbanization,
greater effects of climate change, scarcity of relevant resources for agriculture, high energy sources,
stricter food safety standards, etc. For the past three years, topics or themes focused on issues related to
water management, soil information nutrient databases, emerging infectious diseases of food crops, safe
seafood production, rural community revitalization, citrus HLB disease, biomass resources, organic
During the 1980s, the development of mechanization and
automation became agriculture’s main goal.
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products, “climate smart” food production, genetically modified organisms, promising technologies for
aquaculture, Fusarium wilt on Cavendish banana, biotechnology, boar semen application for pork quality
improvement, roles of cooperative in food consumption trends, enhancing farm management efficiency
by ICT, knowledge management, protected cultivation, promoting rice farmers’ market through value-
adding activities, determining the nutrient content of soil, fostering increased engagement and
capacitating the youth on agri-entrepreneursip, smart use of fertilizers, climate smart agriculture, early
warning systems of agricultural disasters through ICT, free trade and agricultural policies in the Asian
Pacific region.
FFTC as facilitator for policy and strategic changes, technology innovations, etc.
All of FFTC’s programs, projects and activities are geared towards collecting and providing its
stakeholders with technical and practical information that will enable farmers to operate profitably in a
manner that is also environmentally sound. The information it provides is focused on sustainable land use,
and technologies which help improve their incomes. And while the range of topics is wide and varied, it
only reflects the reality of small farms in Asia. This is why information on modern technologies is of vital
importance to the Asian farmers.
Information programs of the Center emphasize sustainable agriculture. It tries to provide information
about agricultural systems which are productive in the long term, because they conserve the environment.
For its part, FFTC facilitates the collection and packaging of this wide range of information through
organized workshops, seminars, training courses, research surveys, field demonstrations, publications and
the Center’s website. The goal is for the farmers to be more well-informed in order for them to make
smart choices and decisions which can help them improve their livelihood and attain a higher quality of
life.
Some of FFTC’s significant achievements through the years
For the past decade, FFTC has tried to sustain its projects on integrated pest and weed management,
disseminating information on combined control, each of which reinforces the impact of the others. Unlike
chemical control, integrated pest management (IPM) does not aim at preventing all damage to crops from
pests and diseases. Instead, it tries to keep damage below the economic injury threshold.
Since 1991, the Center has been carrying out a long-term project on the control of plant virus diseases
and also monitored the emergence of new ones. It began with a survey over several years of various
diseases of crops in 18 countries in Asia and the Pacific. This was followed by a series of workshops and
training courses. Information about the diagnosis and indexing of plant viruses was disseminated using
new molecular bio-techniques recently developed in the region. DNA primers and antibodies were
provided to national laboratories in the region.
This initiative led to the birth of the technology transfer project to rehabilitate the citrus industry in
Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines. For three years, a pathogen free (PF) citrus foundation and
nursery system were established in these countries, together with disease indexing techniques and the
necessary facilities and equipment. This integrated technology was further extended and replicated in
Laos and Myanmar, where training courses on disease indexing were conducted.
The Rapid Bioassay of Pesticide Residues (RBPR), a technology developed in Taiwan in 1985, is a
low-cost alternative to chemical analysis to achieve quick test results for pesticide residues in order to
protect local consumers from contaminated fruits and vegetables. For three straight years (2009-2011),
FFTC, in cooperation with the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, Council of Agriculture and the
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Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) spearheaded the training course
on RBPR attended by various participants from the Asia Pacific region. The course consisted of intensive
lectures, discussions, laboratory exercises, hands-on activities and field visits. Topics included prospects
of rapid monitoring and control of pesticide residues in the ASPAC region; the Food Quality Protection
Act in the US, toxicological principles, etc.
The series of training on RBPR was mentioned in a journal published by the Taiwan Agriculture
Research Institute (TARI) which said that in the 1990s, through the initiatives of FFTC, Thailand’s
Ministry of Agriculture invited TARI to hold an international training course in four countries:
Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Korea. From 2006 to 2008, five National Pesticide Analytic Lab
(NPAL) dealt with pesticide testing of vegetables and fruits under the Philippines’ Bureau of Plant
Industry (BPI). TARI dispatched several specialists in Baguio and Cagayan de Oro cities and held several
training courses under the support of FFTC. The Center also drew up a three-year-plan of international
training courses on the subject, together with the Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research
Institute (APAARI) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in
Agriculture (SEARCA). There were 56 participants from 13 countries who were trained and benefitted
from the RBPR technology.
Many programs of the Center have been concerned with sustainable soil management, especially in
the very difficult soils of the tropical uplands. This often involves the use of compost to improve soil
properties. In the tropics, compost usually supplements rather than replaces applications of chemical
fertilizer. Over the years, FFTC has collected and disseminated a huge databank of information on
sustainable farming systems for tropical slopelands. Many of FFTC’s information programs have
involved techniques of soil testing and plant analysis. These are used as the basis of fertilizer
recommendations, and help farmers apply the right kind and amount of fertilizer at the right time. Other
programs have provided information on soil management based on improved cropping systems and water
management.
Livestock have always been an important focus of FFTC’s work ever since it was established. Its
information programs have covered the diagnosis and treatment of major diseases, and improved feeding
and management. It has also focused on the integration of livestock and crop production since it increases
the overall productivity of agricultural systems. Lately, the Center has also focused on recent progress in
swine breeding technologies and cutting-edge reproductive technologies to update its participants on the
latest trends in swine production and health management.
Economics has always been an important part of the Center’s work. In workshops, it has always been
mentioned that marketing is a major problem of most Asian farmers. In less industrialized countries,
farmers have problems in transporting their goods to the market, or storage facilities so they can delay
selling until prices rise. Over the years, FFTC has collected and disseminated a large body of information
to help farmers with these problems. It has included surveys on postharvest losses of fruits and vegetables
and the identification of the weak points in marketing chains. There have been seminars and workshops
on how improved postharvest handling and packaging, and facilities such as cool stores and packing
sheds, can increase profit margins. In some workshops, price information has been discussed and how
cooperatives can operate price information networks for farmer members.
New activities
Tropical fruit offers a significant opportunity for small-scale farmers in the Asian and Pacific region. And
to strengthen the position of farmers in the tropical value chain, the access to high quality planting materials
is one of the key factors. Thus a survey study was initiated in 2014 to obtain the objective overview of
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tropical fruit production and market in Southeast Asia, and the specific details related to prevailing situation
and constraints on the production and distribution of planting materials.
For six years now, FFTC has been conducting workshops to help improve the promising dragon fruit industry. This year it conducted another workshop to initiate a regional network of dragon fruit experts and enthusiasts.
The following year, in 2015, FFTC conducted a workshop on “Improving Pitaya Production and
Marketing.” This was held in Kaoshiung, Taiwan and was attended by 20 speakers from 11 countries.
One of the major recommendations of the said workshop was to involve stakeholders in the formation of
a pitaya network. FFTC followed this lead and the following year, another activity entitled “Regional
Workshop on the Control of Dragon Fruit Diseases” was conducted in Khon Kaen, Thailand. In the said
workshop (which was attended by 17 speakers from 9 countries), another strong recommendation was to
form a regional network to focus on the pests and diseases of dragon fruit.
In November 2017 and March 14, 2018, two meetings were held to form a network of dragon fruit
experts. An organizing committee composed of FFTC, the Mekong Institute, the Taiwan Agricultural
Research Institute (TARI) and the New Zealand Plant and Food Research Institute (NZPFRI) met in
Taiwan to further discuss the formation of the research network. In the last meeting in March, the
committee agreed to expand the scope of the network from dragon fruit pests and diseases to include the
entire dragon fruit industry.
The result was the workshop on April 22-25, 2018 in Taipei, Taiwan entitled “Dragon Fruit Regional
Initiation Workshop.” The workshop gathered 20 speakers from seven countries and brought together key
researchers, technologists, leaders of research institutes and government officers working in dragon fruit
production and marketing. One of the strong recommendations of the said workshop was to form a task
force to create sources of funds, write a draft of the network’s articles of incorporation, vision, mission,
objectives, etc. The steering committee also suggested that FFTC should take a lead in this area.
Another relatively new project is called the “Asia-Pacific Agricultural Policy Information Platform,”
which basically aims to form a network of agricultural policy experts in the Asia Pacific region to
establish a website for sharing and exchanging agricultural policy information across different countries.
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Launched in August, 2014, the website has collected, reviewed and uploaded more than 800 policy
articles. The project is now on its sixth year and has generated more than 4 million hits.
The FFTC-AP project aims to establish a database of national agricultural policies catering to policymakers, researchers, scholars, etc. in the region. The Center manages a website containing agricultural policy articles contributed by its contracted partners of 10 countries and from other contributors.
III. The FFTC strategic plan for 2019-2020
The FFTC management makes sure that its activities are attuned to the needs of the current environment.
Hence, the FFTC Strategic Action Plan for 2019-2020 is another renewal of the Center’s commitment to
respond to the technological needs of the farmers in the region amidst the constant changing global
environment.
Based on the FFTC’s past Strategic Plan, the Center comes up with this Strategic Action Plan for
2019-2020, underpinning the five program themes as follows:
1. Intelligent agriculture by ICT;
2. Value-added agriculture;
3. Climate-smart agriculture;
4. Environmentally friendly technologies; and
5. Rural resource management
Program theme 1: Intelligent agriculture by ICT
Through the years, agriculture has kept pace with modern intelligent technologies to increase the quantity
and quality of agricultural products. Farmers in the 21st century have access to Information
Communication Technologies (ICT), have access to GPS, soil scanning, data management, social media
and the internet. FAO has declared that intelligent agriculture or smart farming is the key to the future.
According to one of FAO’s blog articles, “By precisely measuring variations within a field and adapting
the strategy accordingly, farmers can greatly increase the effectiveness of pesticides and fertilizers, and
use them more selectively. Similarly, using smart farming techniques, farmers can better monitor the
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needs of individual animals and adjust their nutrition correspondingly, thereby preventing disease and
enhancing herd health.” FFTC therefore plans to organize more activities that will tap the expertise of
people involved in intelligent agriculture. It hopes to gather more farm extension workers and work with
the National Agriculture Research System (NARS) in the region to increase further knowledge on the role
that ICT plays in raising crops and raising animals. Emphasis will be on the following:
1. Touch base with people working on ICT for agriculture in the region and seek their support to
help design seminars and training courses on intelligent agriculture;
2. Improve capacity building of NARS to package appropriate agricultural technology information
for farmers;
3. Facilitate knowledge sharing and exchange among different stakeholders in the region;
4. Develop brief summaries of information technology modules and disseminate this using the
Center’s website.
5. Related Possible Workshop/Seminar Topics:
- Precision agriculture by ICT applications for farming technologies;
- Application of ICT technologies for pest and pathogen management;
- Application of the AI, UAV, autonomous farming, plant factory in today’s new agriculture
(agronomy, livestock, and aquaculture management) and big data platform for smart
agriculture; and
- Utilization of ICT for quality control of agricultural products; and
Farmers in the 21st century have access to Information Communication Technologies (ICT) like the use of smart phones and the drone technology for crop monitoring, soil assessment, etc. Photos courtesy of Google images
Program theme 2: Value-added agriculture
Value-added agriculture or the changing of a raw agricultural product into something new through
packaging, processing, cooling, drying, extracting or any type of process that makes the product from
each original form, has been practiced for many years. The changing agricultural landscape, however, has
recently been put on the spotlight especially at this time when governments emphasize the need of
farmers to think in a businesslike manner.
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Converting fresh lavender plants into oil or soaps, cucumbers into pickles, fresh bananas into chips are all
entrepreneurial endeavors. Experts say value-adding is always worthwhile especially because of the
higher returns that come with the investments and the opportunity to open new markets and make a
business expansion. Moreover, the key to the success of value-added agriculture is to cash in on the lure
of niche markets—those specialty niches where most small producers can be successful and mark their
own dents in their respective businesses.
The Center hopes to carry out programs and projects that could help the farmers develop their own market
niches through value-adding activities:
1. Develop training programs on smart-food systems, food processing, food safety and food
consumer habits and preferences;
2. Inculcate the benefits of value-added agriculture and highlight these in the Center’s workshops
and seminars;
3. Encourage the gathering of feedback from agri extension workers who work with farmers
especially those who are into entrepreneurial activities;
4. Collect practical technologies on developing value-added products.
5. Related Possible Workshop/Seminar Topics:
- Value-adding of agricultural products based on consumer preferences;
- Supporting new promising fruit industry like the dragon fruit industry and its potential to
create value-added products;
- Crop production of functional foods;
- Improving traceable agricultural products;
- Beginner’s guide to crop insurance for farmers in Asia.
Converting fresh lavender into oils or soaps, cucumber into pickles and fresh bananas into chips are examples of value-added agricultural products. Photos courtesy of Google images
Program theme 3: Climate-smart agriculture
As defined by the FAO, climate-smart agriculture or CSA is “agriculture that sustainably increases
productivity, enhances resilience, reduces or removes GHG emissions where possible and enhances
achievement of national food security and development goals.” Dr. Leslie Lipper, FAO’s senior
environmental economist, and her team of experts further defines CSA as “an approach for transforming
and re-orienting agricultural development under the new realities of climate change.” One of the keys to
make CSA work is to build agricultural resilience and strengthen the physical constitution of farming
systems. This would entail among other things understanding the weather patterns, adoption of
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environmentally friendly and ecological sound agricultural practices, managing climate risks, among
others.
FFTC intends to pursue activities that deal with climate-smart agriculture. It hopes that through
collecting information on practical technologies and best practices, it can help mitigate GHG emission,
promote low carbon farming, adapt and build resilience to climate change, and increase agricultural
productivity. Practices like better manure management, integrated pest management, integrated crop-
livestock management, use of renewable energy, improved animal feeding, etc. could be discussed in
detail and/or demonstrated to agricultural extension workers. Successful agricultural workers and/or
researchers can also be invited to share innovative and climate-smart practices in the Center’s various
projects. The following can be the focus of this particular theme:
1. Conduct seminars, workshops and training courses on climate-smart agricultural technologies;
2. Promote best agricultural practices in FFTC’s website and social media;
3. Emphasize the idea of enhancing environmental resilience in agricultural production including
natural (or climate) disaster risk management; and
4. Disseminate early warning systems of climate disasters and smart ways to plan agricultural
production and marketing amidst unpredictable climate;
5. Related Possible Workshop/Seminar Topics:
- Assessing the damage risk in farming due to extreme weather;
- Prevention system of agricultural irrigation facilities from natural disaster;
- Adaptation technologies under severe climate conditions;
- Institutional reforms in agriculture in response to climate change; and
- The adequate adoption of climate-smart technologies by small farms
Scientists have developed a technology to help farmers measure greenhouse gas emissions during crop production like this photo of farmers in India. Photo courtesy of Google images and the Environment Defense Fund website
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Program theme 4: Environmentally friendly technologies
Environmentally friendly technologies, as the term implies are technologies that are ecologically sound,
socially equitable, economically viable and environmentally sustainable. They are innovative
technologies with the potential to steer agriculture along a sustainable path, and at the same time
contribute to the advancement of economic and efficient production methods to prevent harm to human
health and the environment.
The bio bees, which is an example of environmentally friendly technology, house the stingless bees in small beehives in the greenhouse. These bees help in the natural pollination process. Photo courtesy of Google images and the Greenhouse farming blogspot.
In line with the vision of the Satoyoma initiative of realizing societies in harmony with nature and
develop socio-economic activities including agriculture and forestry that are aligned with the natural
processes, the idea is to collect and disseminate information on green technologies for the production of
safe and high-quality food, production of non-staple crops that are highly promising sources of income
for poor farming communities, and enhancement of rural entrepreneurship which will focus on success
stories and experiences on enterprise development initiatives. FFTC plans to enter into partnerships with
its key partners and do the following:
1. Design workshops, seminars and training on farming activities that would involve energy
efficiency, recycling, safety and health concerns, renewable resources, water and air purification,
solid waste management, etc.;
2. Facilitate and encourage the sharing of experiences on the best practices of adapting green
technologies and their corresponding benefits;
3. Utilize the internet and social media in the promotion of green technologies; and
4. Continue the past theme of “promoting food safety with green technology” to focus on safe farm
practices, proper use of manure, IPM, organic farming, traceability, harmonizing procedures, etc.
5. Related Possible Workshop/Seminar Topics:
- The use of LED, ultrasonic and natural enemies for crop protection;
- Soil-borne diseases, new diagnosis and prevention system in Asia;
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- Transboundary (cross-border) pest management;
- Training course for young farmers on pest control in agriculture; and
- Organic course matter application in farming
Program theme 5: Rural resources management
The conservation and management of rural resources has become a fundamental part of agricultural
development. It basically covers the management of farmlands, irrigation, environment, organic
resources, and the rural community. Issues relating to the decrease in the size of farm lands, lack of water,
aging farmers, the continuous decreasing number of young farmers, and agricultural trade all comprise
areas which experts focus on in relation to conserving and managing rural resources. Lately, changes in
global production networks and increased urbanization also changed the landscape and the character of
rural areas. Manufacturers of niche and specialty products have also widened their scope and created
more dynamism in the way rural resources are managed. Moreover, tourism and recreation activities have
grown and are now an integral part of rural livelihood. This has also expanded rural development
approaches and included the involvement of regional development agencies, non-government
organizations and international development organizations. Emphasis would be on the following:
1. Gather experts in rural resources management and ask for their support in designing seminars and
workshops along the lines of rural revitalization, agri-tourism and recreation;
2. Follow-up on FFTC’s workshops on engaging and capacitating the youth in agricultural activities
and agri-entrepreneurship and design training programs related to youth participation and
agriculture;
3. Collect pertinent information on rural resource management and help translate technical
knowledge into practical and more popular forms before they are uploaded in social media and the
Center’s website; and
4. Involve the national agricultural research and extension people, technicians and rural development
workers in FFTC’s activities
5. Related Possible Workshop /Seminar Topics:
- Balancing rural development and ecosystem for agri-tourism;
- Ecosystem services and pollination;
- Local renewable energy and biomass utilization;
- Slopeland agriculture development and resource management;
- Efficiency in agricultural land and water management
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Rural resources management covers farmlands, Irrigation, environment, organic resources and the rural community.
Appendix 1: List of FFTC partner organizations
Japan
National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO)
Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS)
NARO Institute of Fruit Tree Science (NIFTS)
NARO Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences (NIAES)
NARO Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science (NILGS)
NARO Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS)
NARO Institute of Animal Health (NIAH)
Tokyo University of Agriculture (TUA)
Tokyo University (TU)
Norinchukin Research Institute (NRI)
Korea
Rural Development Administration (RDA)
National Agriculture Cooperative Federation (NACF)
Korean Rural Economic Institute (KREI)
National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI)
National Academy of Agricultural Science (NAAS)
National Institute of Crop Science (NICS)
National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science (NIHHS)
National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS)
NongHyup Economic Research Institute NHERI)
Dankook University (DU)
New Zealand
New Zealand Plant Research Institute (NZPRI)
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Taiwan
Council of Agriculture (COA)
Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), COA
Taiwan Fisheries Research Institute (TFRI), COA
Taiwan Livestock Research Institute (TLRI), COA
Bureau of Animal & Plant Health Inspection & Quarantine , (BAPHIQ), COA
National Ilan University (NIA)
National Taiwan University (NTU)
National Chung Hsing University (NCHU)
National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU)
National Training Institute for Farmers’ Organization (NTIFO)
Rural Development Foundation (RDF)
Taiwan Banana Research Institute (TBNRI)
Ylan Irrigation Association (YIA)
Philippines
Philippine Council for Agriculture Aquaculture National Resources Research and
Development (PCAARRD)
Bureau of Plant Industry—Los Baños National Crop Research and Development Center
(BPI-LBNCRDC), Department of Agriculture (DA)
Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), DA
Central Luzon State University (CLSU)
Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO)
Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)
Thailand
Mekong Institute (MI)
Kasetsart University (KU)
Chulalongkorn University (CU)
Suranaree University of Technology (SUT)
Vietnam
Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS)
Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI)
National Institute of Animal Sciences (NIAS)
Southern Fruit Research Institute (SOFRI)
Soils and Fertilizers Research Institute (SFRI)
Cambodia
Royal University of Agriculture (RUA)
Indonesia
Indonesian Soil Research Institute (ISRI)
Malaysia
Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI)
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International Organizations
Asian Productivity Organization (APO)
Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center —The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC-WVC)
Appendix 2: Summary of 2017 work program
Project no./Title Type Venue Co-organizers Date
1. 1. Adopting 2. smart beef 3. Cattle 4. feeding 5. techniques
SM Thailand NARO JIRCAS
SUT
1-5 June
2. 2. Enhancing 3. farm 4. management 5. efficiency by 6. ICT for 7. young farmers
SM Japan NARO 2-6 October
3. 3. Roles of 4. cooperatives 5. in response 6. to changes
in food consumption trends
WS Taiwan NTIFO NACF
18-22 September
4. 4. Boar semen 8. application 9. for pork 10. quality 11. improvement
SM Vietnam DLP MARD TLRU
6-10 November
5. 5. Developing 6. knowledge 7. management
application 8. in agriculture 9. for small-scale
farmers
WS Philippines PCAARRD 8-12 May
19
6. 6. Developing 12. organic 13. agriculture 14. as new 15. business 16. opportunity
for small-scale farmers
WS Taiwan NIU YIA
22-26 May
7. 7. Protected 8. cultivation 9. of high-
value crops under changing climate conditions
WS Malaysia MARDI RDF
11-15 Septembner
8. 8. FFTC 7. Agricultural 8. Policy 9. Platform 10. (FFTC-AP) 11. (Year 5)
CI Taiwan COA January-December
6. 9. Enhancing 7. collaborative 8. research 9. network 10. on the 11. control 12. of dragon 13. fruit pests 14. and diseases
CI Taiwan TARI NZPRI
MI MOFA
January-December
20
Appendix 3: FFTC Work program for 2018
Project no./Title Type Venue Co-organizers Date
15. 1. The 24th 16. meeting of 17. the FFTC 18. Technical 19. Advisory 20. Committee 21. (TAC)
MT Taiwan N/A July 23-26
17. 2. Promoting 18. rice farmers’ 19. market 20. through 21. value-adding 22. activities
SM Thailand KU AEST TRF
June 5-9
3. Strengthening 12. prevention 13. strategies and 14. early warning 15. systems of agr agricultural
disasters through ICT techniques
SM Taiwan NTU COA
NCHU NSTCDR
CWB
October 21-25
4. Soil and Plant Tissue Analysis: Testing Methods, QA/QC, Data Interpretation and Applicatio
WS Taiwan COA NCHU TARI
September 11-15
5. Quality 6. assurance and 7. ISTA 8. accreditation 9. for beginners
WS Japan NARO ISTA TSIS
June 18-22
6. Fostering 5. increased 6. engagement 7. and 8. capacitating 9. the youth on 10. agri- 11. Preneurship
WS Malaysia PCAARRD MARDI
October 1-5
21
7. Smart use 8. of fertilizers 9. for 10. environ- 11. mentally 12. friendly 13. agriculture
WS Taiwan NIU TDARES
PABP
October 29-November 2
8. Climate smart 16. agriculture for 17. the small- 18. scale farmers 19. in the Asia 20. Pacific region
WS Japan NARO MARCO
September 26-September 30
22. 9. FFTC 23. agricultural 24. policy 25. platform 26. (Year 6)
CI Taiwan COA January-December
27. 10. Dragon fruit regional network initiation workshop
WS Taiwan COA TARI MI
MOFA NZPRI
April 22-26
22