Today is :

Archives (1999)

IRRDB meeting held Marlowe U. Aquino

December 1999

BAR Assistant Director Jovita M. Corpuz, together with University of Southern Mindanao President Virgilio Oliva and Dr. Lydia Oliva, represented the Philippines in the International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB) Annual meeting held in Hainan, China last October 17-23, 1999.

Participants of the IRRDB Meeting, Hainan, China, 17 - 23 October 1999

The annual meting was composed of two sub-meetings: 1) meeting of the Committee Directors and Chief Executives, and 2) meeting of the Board.

During the Committee Directors and Chief Executives meeting, strategies to strengthen research implementation were discussed. These include emphasis on tire rolling resistance, documentation of the environmental significance of the 1981 germplasm expedition to Brazil, enhanced rubber and agroforestry, use of biotechnology to support conventional programs, "zero" concept for tire companies, and utilization of the ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 to ensure quality assurance.

Furthermore, it was encouraged that China and India member institutes should develop a joint proposal on Hevea cultivation in marginal and non-traditional areas. On the other hand, Sri Lanka's Rubber Research Institute will conduct a workshop to assist in the transfer of technology on effluent treatment to other member institute. The European Union is considered a potential source for funding of these two activities. Brazil has offered to host the meeting in 2001 while Nigeria agreed to host the 2002 meeting.

Meanwhile, the participants discussed the admission of Papua New Guinea as a member institution. However, its membership is dependent on its contribution. The need to revise immediately the research strategy for natural rubber, prioritization of training and co-sharing of cost by member institutions, financial status of IRRDB, and the involvement of IRRDB in the CGIAR system as a legitimate member in the international research community were also tackled in a discussion led by Dr. Datuk Aziz of the Malaysian Rubber Research Institute. Finally, Indonesia agreed to host the 2000 IRRDB Meeting in Bukitinggi in Sumatra.

More Articles:

December 1999 (Special Issue)

»» RRDE networks ready to operationalize in 2000
»» DA-BAR turned over P158M for agriculture and fisheries R&D modernization
»» National program leaders strengthen network management
»» RDE participatory planning to boost public and private partnership
»» KPSD readied for program implementation for CY2000
»» IRRDB meeting held
»» ASEM addresses S&T in 21st century
»» BAR sponsors logframe training workshop
»» New rices may improve human health
»» ITD convenes to finalize BAR's knowledge management capability framework

[More 1999 Articles]