BOGOR, Indonesia – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), and the Centre for Climate Risk and Opportunity Management in Southeast Asia Pasific (CCROM SEAP) convened the Indonesia’s 1st National Consultative Meeting on 3 April 2014 at the IPB International Convention Center (IPBICC) in Bogor, Indonesia for the ASEAN Network on Promoting Climate Resilience of Rice and Other Crops under the ASEAN-German Programme on Response to Climate Change (GAP-CC).
CCROM SEAP, a premiere research center at Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) focusing at enhancing the capabilities of Southeast Asia in dealing with the impacts of climate variability and climate change within the region, works closely with the Indonesian Center for Food Crops Research and Development (ICFORD) under the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) in the conduct of the national consultations and sectoral studies. ICFORD, represented by former ICFORD Director Hasil Sembiring (now Directorate of Cereals), serves as the focal agency for the ASEAN Technical Working Group on Agricultural Research and Development (ATWGARD).
The national consultative meeting is one of the key activities of the abovementioned project funded by GAP-CC/GIZ to support the regional initiatives of the ATWGARD. It brought together experts on value chain, agriculture technology and innovation, and climate impacts on food production system, some of which include representatives from GIZ, CCROM-IPB, MOA, Ministry of Environment, Southeast Asia Food and Agriculture Science and Technology Center (SEAFAST), DuPont Pioneer-Indonesia, Fakultas Matematika dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam (FMIPA), and Indonesia Institute of Sciences.
Dr. Perdinan, National Team Leader for Indonesia facilitated the meeting and presented the value chain maps of rice and maize including the potential impacts of climate change in the respective sectors. The participants also shared various good practices, technologies, and innovation in rice and maize productions.
Dr. Rizaldi Boer, CCROM SEAP Executive Director; and Ms. Imelda Bacudo, GAP-CC Consultant provided technical inputs. (Kristine Joy S. Villagracia)