CIRAD reaffirms its links with its Indonesian partners
10/03/2010 - Article
Three agreements have recently been signed by CIRAD and its Indonesian partners in the framework of a vast mission driven by CIRAD’s executive board. The agreements focus on: food security, forest management and training for agronomic research.
Almost half of the Indonesian population of 240 million people live in rural zones. However, a third of these rural people survive on less than 2 dollars per day. Therefore, agriculture is of major importance for reducing poverty in the country. Three challenges need to be addressed: guaranteeing food security and safety, dealing with energy limitations and conserving the environment in the framework of exceptional biodiversity. This is the background to the new 5-year cooperation programme, which CIRAD signed with the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD). The programme includes biotechnologies, integrated water management on the level of catchment area, agronomic performances and environmental evaluation of agricultural systems, conservation agriculture, integrated crop protection, post-harvest technologies, agri-food, livestock production, horticulture and a training section.
A second cooperation agreement was signed with the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), which focuses primarily on the study of the relationships between Man and the forest. Numerous agreements have already been signed with CIFOR. The latest one has four main sections: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting practices and policies in the context of climate change, sustainable management of productive forests, improving quality of life for forest-dwelling populations and studying the sectors for wood and non-wood products in view of supplying towns. These strong points will be discussed during the Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD) to be held in Montpellier from 28th – 31st March.
Training for agronomic research is also one of CIRAD’s main concerns, which is why partnerships with higher education, scientific mobility, as well as the development of certified university courses are a priority for the establishment. This was the nature of a 5-year agreement, which was also signed with the Universitas Gajah Mada in Jogjakarta, one of the most prestigious universities in Indonesia. It will allow the university to extend its curricula for the Masters in Agronomy with disciplines, such as ecophysiology and biochemistry, which are barely covered in the current courses. In the framework of this agreement, joint certified courses could soon be developed.
CIRAD in Indonesia
CIRAD has been conducting research in cooperation with Indonesia for nearly 40 years. Research began with the main tree crop sectors (oil palm, coconut, rubber, coffee, cocoa, etc.). The cooperation gradually extended to the forestry sector, agroforestry and agronomy, involving disciplines, such as genetics, ecophysiology, agro-climatology, phytopathology and, more recently, genomics and socio-economics.
CIRAD’s strategy in Indonesia is based on five main topics:
- genomics, genetics and crop protection;
- natural resource management;
- sustainability of production systems;
- support for family farming;
- economics of public policies.
Oil palm research conducted by CIRAD in Indonesia
The oil palm Elaeis guineensis supplies more than 30% of the total amount of vegetable oil produced throughout the world. However, the oil palm sector has to meet demand by taking account of the environmental and social problems caused by this tremendous growth. Producers’ objectives should include sustainability, which imposes changes in agricultural practices and a review of spatial territorial organisation. CIRAD is helping them to achieve this.
Research conducted on the subject will make it possible to study the environmental and social impact of plantations that are being extended or renewed. In Indonesia, CIRAD and its partners are studying the cultural practices required for reaching the trees’ production potential using an integrated system for natural resource management at the same time as controlling environmental risks.
Recently, CIRAD jointly organised the second
Icope conference on oil palm and the environment in Bali, Indonesia, from 23rd – 25th February 2010.
- Category: Institutional