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Dr. Jelfina C. Alouw
She assumes charge over as Executive Director of the International Coconut Community, Jakarta, Indonesia since 2020. Prior to this appointment she was working as head of Collaboration and Dissemination Division of the Indonesian Division for Estate Crops Research and Development, Indonesia. She is an Entomologist by profession and with her 27 years of experience in the field of agriculture development, she is frequently providing technical assistance and consultancy for coconut development to farmers, coconut industries, students, lecturers and other governmental organizations. She is the author of many informative articles on coconut which were published in renowned international journals.

Speeches

Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategy for a Sustainable and Resilient Coconut Industry

The extreme weather event due to climate change is a major threat to agriculture including the coconut sector. Typical impacts of climate change including floods, longer droughts, landslides, increased pest populations and disease severity could lead to yield losses and therefore pose challenges for coconut farmers and other stakeholders. Several studies have reported that climate change could reduce crop yields by 1-2 % per decade over the past century, and the adverse impacts are predicted to increase in the future if there are no effective adaptation and mitigation strategies in place. There is a need to realize the magnitude and potential irreversibility of climate change and the threats and dynamics of extreme climate change impacts. It is also crucial to identify the causes of the vulnerability and points of resilience as well as to identify adaptation and mitigation management interventions, comprehensive standards and policy tools that may assist and accelerate resilience to climate change. The vulnerability of agriculture including the coconut sector to the impacts of climate change and the potential contribution of coconut sector in mitigating the impacts has prompted the International Coconut Community (ICC) to promote “Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategy for a Resilient and Sustainable Coconut Agroindustry” as the theme of the 50th COCOTECH conference and Exhibition. The host facilities for the 50th COCOTECH conference and Exhibition is provided by the Government of Malaysia through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia from 7-11 November 2022. The first COCOTECH Conference & Exhibition was conceived in 1969 when 25 representatives from six countries and international organizations gathered in Ceylon, Sri Lanka, for one week. It was at the meeting when the six countries approved that there would be a platform for the coconut community to share knowledge, experience & expertise and to cooperate regularly. The International COCOTECH is officially mandated as the Technical Panel for the coconut community at which updated innovative technologies, products, appropriate recommendations and the national and international policies are shared and exchanged to ensure the sustainability of the coconut sector. We acknowledge and appreciate the participation of various stakeholders in the coconut value chain around the world comprising policymakers, senior government officials, researchers, extensionists, traders, product processors, machinery manufacturers, exporters, importers, farmers, and the friends of coconut. The Community is indebted to the high caliber of eminent resource persons that include experts in the fields of agriculture, industry, commerce, biotechnology, chemistry, clinical science, and much more to provide invaluable inputs to this Conference. Diverse, appropriate and useful information, knowledge, and technologies would be imparted from these resource persons with a great wealth of experience as well as their respective levels of expertise. a physical exhibition was also arranged in which the development departments, farmer organizations and industry stakeholders showcased the latest technology development of food and non-food products, services, and machinery. A daily business matching to connect (match) companies and people with common business interests, create valuable business relationships, and strengthen business networks was also provided. It is crucial to take a more proactive approach to climate change resilience, reshape the current direction if required, breaking down barriers and working together to sustain coconut sector and fulfill its potential towards greater contribution to the economic, social and environment for the benefit of all, the farmers, industry, national and global community.

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