CIRAD joins the 2024 Annual International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB) Conference

27/02/2024
From 19-21 February, 2024, in Pattaya, Thailand, CIRAD participated in the International Rubber Conference (IRRDB/IRC 2024) with 8 oral presentations illustrating its integrated approach to the rubber sector and the important contribution of the platform in partnership on rubber growing in South-East Asia (HRPP).

The Directors’ meeting on February 22, 2024 © E. Gohet

The International Rubber Conference (IRC 2024) (visit the conference Facebook page) was co-organized by the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT) and the International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB), with the theme: “Inspire natural rubber innovation for a sustainable future”. The conference brought together more than 200 participants from 17 IRRDB member countries. The participation of CIRAD and the South-East Asia Rubber Partnership Platform (HRPP) highlighted the importance of international research and development in the rubber sector. Through eight presentations on various themes, CIRAD demonstrated its commitment to an integrated approach in the rubber sector. The conference also benefited from contributions from Kasetsart University, a key partner of the HRPP, through the presentations of Dr. Siriluck Liengprayoon, "Involvement of Lipids in the Unique Structure and Properties of Natural Rubber: A Review", and Dr. Ornuma Duangngam, “The Source of the Latex Carbon Contribution of Recent C and Reserves Studied by 13C Isotopic Methods”.

The Cirad delegation at the IRC/IRRDB 2024 conference (from left to right and top to bottom): Laurent Vaysse (BioWooEB), Eric Gohet (Absys), Vincent Ferrrer (BiowooEB), Alexis Thoumazeau (Absys), Christian Cilas (AGAP), Pascal Montoro (AGAP), Bénédicte Chambon (Absys), Thibaut Perron (Absys) et Charlotte Simon (PhD, Absys) © A. Thoumazeau 

The themes addressed by CIRAD at the conference reflect current challenges and opportunities in the rubber sector, in particular:

  • agricultural practices in the immature phase (replanting management in Ivory Coast and inter-row management in Thailand)
  • participatory selection in Indonesia
  • tapping at very low frequency in West Africa (Ivory Coast, Ghana and Liberia)
  • the epidemiology of Corynespora in Ivory Coast
  • land use change (Rubber-oil palm) in Thailand
  • technological properties and the role of lipids in the structure of rubber

International collaboration is a pillar of agroecological research and development. This conference and the field visit that followed were the opportunity for various discussions with national Asian and African rubber research centers, but also with private stakeholders.

A field visit was organized following the conference © IRRDB

Field trip © IRRDB

Meeting with the Sri Lankan delegation © A. Thoumazeau

A meeting with the Sri Lankan delegation made it possible to initiate a dialogue on possible future collaborations on subjects of common interest. The conference was followed by meetings of the Directors and the Board of the IRRDB.

In the closing session, Dr. Dato’ Seri Dr. Abdul Aziz SA Kadir, Secretary General of IRRDB, highlighted the importance of youth in the natural rubber industry, calling them the future of this sector. He encouraged collaboration among members to integrate and empower young people, announcing IRRDB's participation in COP29 with young people on the frontlines. Dr. Aziz thanked the RAOT for the successful organization of the IRC and all the participants for their presence.