Visits to two major international agricultural research institutes based in Taiwan –AVRDC and FFTC was dovetailed to the AsiaDHRRA ExeCom meeting.

AsiaDHRRA was warmly welcomed by FFTC’s leadership led by Director Sing-Hwa Hu. The Food and Fertilizer Technology Center (FFTC) is a regional center who plays an unusual role among the world’s international agricultural centers. It collects and disseminates research results generated by agricultural centers in the Asian and Pacific region. Their aim is to provide farmers with knowledge and information about new technology so that they can achieve higher yields and incomes. FFTC’s strategic plan for 2007-2011 focuses on four strategic missions: increased incomes and improved livelihood of small-scale farmers, improved food safety, enhancement of environment-friendly technology, and sustainable use of natural resources.

The AsiaDHRRA Secretary General also introduced AsiaDHRRA and AFA to FFTC. She noted that AsiaDHRRA and its work with AFA resonates very much with FFTC’s strategic aims and especially their focus on small-farmers. She however noted that FFTC’s current partnerships are limited to government agencies and agricultural research institutions. She offered the view that it will be strategic for FFTC to start exploring partnerships with CSOs since these too could perform the role of multipliers of their enhanced and selected technologies. AFA and AsiaDHRRA who have direct link with grassroots organizations are in a position to help transfer and promote technologies deemed suited by the farming communities they work with.

The dialogue with FFTC was deemed important for AsiaDHRRA especially with FFTC’s appreciation and openness to explore partnership with CSOs in the coming years. Both agreed to sustain information exchange and allow opportunities for mutual participation in relevant events or trainings that each conduct in the region.

The visit to FFTC was also made special by the presence of Dr. Sung-Ching Hsieh, Chair Professor of NPUST, and a respected senior colleague in FFTC. Dr. Hsieh gave some insights on how to explore cooperation with the ICDF, where he was former Deputy Secretary General. He kindly gifted AsiaDHRRA a copy of his important book entitled “ Agricultural Technology Transfer to Developing Countries”. The book documented actual experiences of Dr. Hsieh’s on-site surveys of agricultural production and technology transfer in various developing countries.

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