Cocoa Borlaug Fellows Program - Southeast Asia

 

Project Dates: 2007-2012

 

Eligible Countries: Indonesia and the Philippines

 

Funders: US Department of Agriculture/Foreign Agricultural Service and World Cocoa Foundation

 

Implementer: World Cocoa Foundation and select research institutions

 

Overview

 

The Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellows Program is sponsoring four scientists to complete a 6 to 8-week fellowship in the United States. Fellows will work closely with their assigned mentor, learn new research techniques, access fully equipped libraries, and learn about public-private research partnerships. It is expected that the Fellows will apply the knowledge obtained through the program in their own research and teaching activities, and share it with colleagues at their home institutions and throughout their countries.  The fellows’ mentors then have the opportunity to travel to the fellows’ institutions.

 

Program Objectives:

 

To build the capacity of research institutes in cocoa producing countries to conduct research that supports the modernization and competiveness of the cocoa sector

To improve researchers’ understanding of the cocoa supply chain

To strengthen networks between US and producing country research institutes

 

Progress to Date: Two of the fellows from Southeast Asian countries have completed their fellowships as follows:

 

Rhodina Cena, University of Southern Mindanao (Philippines):  developed skills that can be applied to mass rearing cocoa pod borer with mentor Dr. Jim Carpenter at the USDA/ARS Crop Protection and Management Research Unit Laboratory in Tifton, Georgia from March 23 to May 15, 2009.

Muhammad Junaid, Hasanuddin University (Indonesia):  studied the molecular identification of Oncobasidium theobromae, the causal agent of vascular streak dieback disease, as well as potential biocontrols.  He completed his fellowship at the USDA/ARS Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Lab in Beltsville, Maryland with mentor Dr. Gary Samuels from March 27 to May 20, 2009.