26 Dec 2015
SEAP Quarterly Newsletter 2015 - 4
| In this Issue | IPNI SEAP Program Updates |
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| IPNI SEAP Program Updates - IPNI Southeast Asia Management Changes - IPNI Scholar Awards 2016 -SQM Thailand job opening News From the Region - Indonesia will expand the areas under cultivation of coffee and cacao - Sabah to implements crude palm oil certified as sustainable palm oil - Illegally planted palm oil on recently burnt land in Indonesia - Who is responsible for deforestation: small scale farmers or big companies? - Palm oil production up despite drought, fire and smoke - RSPO label under scrutiny - Destigmatizing bad image of palm oil industry - Indonesia may face rice shortage due to El Nino - Philippines struggles to supply bananas - Malaysia baulks on oil palm maps - Fall in palm oil production expected in Malaysia, Indonesia - French, Vietnamese firms team up to farm maize in Phu Yen - Palm oil's big issue: smallholders Literature at a Glance - Estimating oil content of commercially harvested oil palm fresh fruit bunches - Yield gap, indigenous nutrient supply and nutrient use efficiency for maize in China - Vietnamese coffee production and processing continue to expand - Coffee Forum call for radical change in how coffee sector works - El Nino expected to be strongest since 1997 – 1998 - Financial profitability and sensitivity analysis of palm oil plantation in Indonesia - Meeting global food needs: realizing the potential via genetics × environment × management interactions - How digital innovation can improve mining productivity - Efficiency of nutrients removal from palm oil mill effluent treatment systems - Oil palm growing soils of the world IPNI SEAP in the Press -Recent publications and press releases Upcoming Events -Scroll down for updates | IPNI Southeast Asia Program (IPNI SEAP) Management Changes Dr. Chin Kok Chua resigned as IPNI SEAP Deputy Director. Dr. Mirasol Pampolino was appointed as new Deputy Director. Dr. Pampolino will provide support in program management to the director, and develop research and development on annual crops that are important in the Southeast Asia region. In 2016 and 2017, Dr. Pampolino will also continue to lead the Global Nutrient Expert (NE) Program. From 2018 onwards, all of her time will be committed to IPNI SEAP.  Mirasol Pampolino.jpgDr. Pampolino has been an employee of IPNI Southeast Asia Program since 2008 as an agronomist leading the development of Nutrient Expert for Maize for Southeast Asia. Since 2010, she has been providing scientific and technical support to the global Nutrient Expert programs of IPNI, particularly in the development of Nutrient Expert tools for important crops in Asia and Africa. In line with this change in management, IPNI SEAP is implementing an engagement structure build on Tree Crops, Field Crops and Support Activities for its research and development projects. The IPNI director Dr. Thomas Oberthur will lead the tree crops and support activities, while Dr. Pampolino will lead the field crops projects. This will enable IPNI SEAP to maintain a strong oil palm portfolio, and at same to develop research activities in other commodities that have significant gaps in crop nutrition knowledge and exploitable yield gaps. Thomas Oberthür, Director IPNI Southeast Asia Program |
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| IPNI Scholar Awards 2016 now open | |
| IPNI is pleased to announce that applications to the 2016 IPNI Scholar Award is now open.
Awards of US$2,000 each will be conferred to deserving graduate students in sciences relevant to plant nutrition and management of crop nutrients. This award is eligible to graduate students currently attending a degree-granting institution located in any country with an IPNI program. (See countries included at http://www.ipni.net/regionalprograms) In the case of Ph.D. candidates, preference will be given to students who have a minimum of one year remaining before completion of their studies. Priority will be given to research studies in support of IPNI’s mission. Students in the disciplines of soil and plant sciences including agronomy, horticulture, ecology, soil fertility, soil chemistry, crop physiology, and other areas related to plant nutrition are encouraged to apply. Candidates will be required to submit: 1. Electronic copy of transcripts of all college work, including cumulative and final grade average records (GPA or percentile). 2. Electronic copy of three letters of support, one of which should be from the major professor. Letters must be signed and written on official letterhead, and must include the phone number and e-mail address of the letter writer. 3. A description of the focus of your thesis or dissertation research presented in a manner that will permit evaluation of its originality, depth, and scope, innovative approaches, and relevance to IPNI’s mission. 4. Describe any honours or awards received, employment, career goals, and other activities you pursue. Note: You will be required to upload the electronic copy of the transcripts and support letters during the on-line application process. You should have an electronic copy of these documents prepared in advance. Applications are only available on-line at www.ipni.net/scholar Deadline for submission: April 29, 2016 PDF of the announcement is attached below. You may also click on http://www.ipni.net/awards to know more. | |
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| SQM Thailand Job Opening | |
| SQM, world leader in specialty plant nutrition, is looking for a Business Development Manager (Technical Agronomist for Southeast Asia) to provide technical and product support for their specialty product line. Based in Thailand, job requirements below: Job Function: With the focus on the South East Asian market, you provide technical and product support of specialty product lines: o You make fertilizer recommendations and conduct technical seminars and trainings on the applications of our products line. o You provide assistance to the South East Asia sales team in the technical/commercial follow-up. o You are responsible for the development of marketing tools based on new trial information (leaflets, website information, bags, etc.) and handle business analysis in collaboration with the South East Asia Sales Manager. You report to the Sales Manager for South East Asia You are based in the Bangkok office. Your Profile: Master of Science and Agronomy or engineer in the agricultural field with a minimum of 5-8 years experience in a technical role, preferably in a B-to-B environment of agricultural or horticultural inputs (seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, peat). You have a technical background but have commercial feeling; You are able to explain agronomic concepts in an understandable way and recognize and adjust to customer needs in different environments and translate this into business opportunities. You are flexible, able to work independently, recognize opportunities and you have the drive to take initiative. You are prepared to travel 50 % of your time if needed You are IT literate and are fluent in English. Dutch or Spanish is a plus. Please e-mail your application to email tim.boeckx@sqm.com; mentioning Agronomist SEA in the subject line. | |
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| News from the Region | |
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| Indonesia will expand the areas under cultivation of coffee and cacao | |
| The Indonesian government has continued to pursue the expansion of areas under cultivation of coffee and cocoa in the country. The effort was a deliberate attempt to boost productivity in the plantation sector.
"In the past, efforts to increase crop productivity of coffee and cocoa was based solely on areas which are centers of crop coffee and cocoa as Sulawesi. But now, the focus is no longer only in central Sulawesi, but spread in many places such as Sumatra, Java, and NTT," said Muhammad Shakir as Head of Research and Development of Agriculture (Balitbangtan), Ministry of Agriculture (Ministry of Agriculture)in Jakarta. Source:Coffe-Cocoa Future Prices, November 9, 2015 | |
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| Sabah to implement crude palm oil certified as sustainable palm oil | |
| Sabah state government has decided to launch a 10-year jurisdictional program to have all crude palm oil produced from Sabah, certified as sustainable palm oil, after taking account of all factors and oil palm being a crucial crop for Sabah’s well-being. A committee will be established to implement the programme, to be headed by the Secretary of Natural Resources, with the Forestry Department providing interim secretarial support. RSPO and Forever Sabah, an NGO, will be on hand to provide technical advice, and relevant NGOs, government departments and scientific organisations shall be co-opted into the committee. | |
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| Illegally planted palm oil on recently burnt land in Indonesia | |
| Evidence shows freshly burned land in Indonesia has already been illegally planted with oil palm. This, following the loss of two million hectares of forest and peatland since July to fires. During a dry season exacerbated by El Niño, thousands of fires have ripped through Indonesian forests in Sumatra and Kalimantan over recent months, sparking a region-wide haze crisis and releasing alarming levels of carbon emissions.
Planted in charred earth, the oil palm saplings were identified near the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary in central Kalimantan, by Greenpeace Indonesia. According to public maps, no oil palm concession has been granted in the area. Predominately lit by smallholder farmers who use slash and burn techniques to clear the land – the fires are the fastest and cheapest way to clear land for new plantations. Source: The Guardian, November 6, 2015 | |
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| Who is responsible for deforestation: small scale farmers or big companies? | |
| "In recent days, with massive fires in Southeast Asia again creating the dangerous haze that endangers the health and lives of millions, we’ve seen the recurrence of the claim that fires and deforestation are caused by small farmers, not big companies and their plantations.This is a manifestation of an old narrative: that deforestation and environmental destruction are the fault of the poor...." Doug Boucher, Senior Scientist & Director of Climate Research and Analysis suggests scientific evidence proves otherwise. Source: Union of Concerned Scientists, November 10, 2015 | |
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| Palm oil production up despite drought, fire and smoke | |
| "Palm oil production is holding up and stocks are accumulating despite drought, fire and a choking haze that is smothering plantations across Malaysia and Indonesia. There is no sign of a slowdown from the two countries, the world’s largest producers of palm oil. Indonesia’s exports in October were up 9% from the month before, according to the Indonesia Palm Oil Association." In Source: The Wall Street Journal, November 11, 2015 | |
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| RSPO label under scrutiny | |
| "Industry association Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certifies palm oil grown in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, but unethical and incompetent auditors are undermining trust in this global label, a new EIA study reports. It has found some RSPO auditors “woefully substandard” and in some cases, colluding with companies to cover up violations. RSPO has acknowledged the challenges and has pledged a thorough assessment of all auditors by the end of next year." Source: Eco-Business, November 18, 2015 | |
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| Destigmatizing bad image of palm oil industry | |
| "The stigma of palm oil as an environmental villain is deep-rooted, with the industry being the most scrutinized in terms of environmental and social impacts. Currently, total oil-palm plantations in Indonesia stand at 10.5 million hectares, of which 44 percent are owned by smallholders. However, the total acreage is still less than 8 percent of the total land mass of the country. The distrust in the industry has been adversely affected by the poor governance of natural resources, policy inconsistency, legal uncertainty and lack of law enforcement. Destigmatization can only be done through a two-pronged approach, which is building transparency as prerequisites of green credentials with total commitment to sustainability standards, and ability to enforce laws and regulations." Source: Jakarta Post, November 18, 2015 | |
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| Indonesia may face rice shortage due to El Nino | |
| Indonesia faces the prospect of a rice shortage, largely because of a prolonged dry spell caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon coupled with a delayed decision by the government to import the staple for the country's reserve stock. Source: The Straits Times, November 14, 2015 | |
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| Philippines struggles to supply bananas | |
| The El Niño weather phenomenon is making it more difficult for the Philippines to commit banana supplies to growing demand from global markets, according to the Filipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association and the country's Export Marketing Bureau. Source: AsiaFruit, November 20, 2015 | |
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| Malaysia baulks on oil palm maps | |
| "Malaysia now remains the only country that has yet to resolve its legal position on supplying concession site boundary maps for oil palm plantations — an essential tool for identifying the causes and perpetrators of perennial forest fires and haze. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) announced at a press conference (18 November) during its 13th annual meeting in Kuala Lumpur that after months of discussions, it is now clear on its legal position on the supply of concession maps in Indonesia leaving only Malaysia as the only one without maps due to the contentious legal issue related to the Official Secrets Act." Source: SciDevNet, November 26, 2015 | |
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| Fall in palm oil production expected in Malaysia, Indonesia | |
| "Experts are expecting a “dramatic change” in world palm oil production, with annual growth expected to fall for the first time next year, due to the impact of El Nino in Indonesia and Malaysia. Reduced production in Indonesia would be cushioned by the opening of new areas, and this will cause stagnant production at about 33.5 million tonnes from the country in 2016, but in Malaysia, it is expected to decline slightly. Analyst Thomas Mielke said the situation was unprecedented, and it would be the first time there would be no increase in Malaysian and Indonesian production." Source: The Star Online, December 2, 2015 | |
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| French, Vietnamese firms team up to farm maize in Phu Yen | |
| France’s InVivo NSA Group will partner with a company based in Phu Yen province to cultivate maize on a trial basis in the central locality of Vietnam. A cooperation agreement on the project was signed on November 19. Accordingly, maize will be cultivated on more than 25 hectares of land in Tay Hoa and Phu Hoa districts from this December to March 2016. Source: Phu Yen News, November 20, 2015 | |
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| Palm oil's big issue: smallholders | |
| Industry members and financiers at the recent Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) annual conference suggest that big businesses have to help smallholder farmers adopt sustainable cultivation methods in order to be environmentally and socially responsible. By offering smallholders the training, resources, and administrative support they need to improve their agricultural practices and obtain RSPO’s certification for sustainable palm oil, companies can help reduce environmental impact across the industry and improve farmers’ lives in the process. Source: Eco-Business, November 23, 2015 | |
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| Literature at a Glance | |
| Estimating Oil Content of Commercially Harvested Oil Palm Fresh Fruit Bunches – A Step towards Increasing Palm Oil Yields | |
| Oil palm growers are able to assign fresh fruit bunch (FFB) yields to individual blocks, and thus are able to manage their plantation (or smallholding) to optimise FFB yield. However, currently it is not possible to attribute oil extraction rate (OER), hence oil yield, in a similar way, because mills process FFB from many sources, deriving a common OER for all the FFB that is processed rather than for individual sources. OER depends on the intrinsic qualities of the FFB being milled, which is likely to differ from one batch of FFB to another, hence assessment of milling performance is better based on extraction efficiency rather than OER per se. The Southeast Asia Programme of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI SEA) recently showed that practices aimed at maximising FFB yield may not necessarily maximise OER. The bunch analysis (BA) method adapted by IPNI SEA for assessing oil content of FFB from commercial-scale harvesting in Indonesia can be implemented by plantations without much difficulty. BA and harvest audit data together allow growers to compute their Field Oil Recovery Efficiency (FORE), an assessment of the effectiveness of field practices on crop recovery and oil content. Pre-milling estimates of oil content (EOC) in harvested FFB allows mills to better measure their process performance based on their Mill Oil Recovery Efficiency (MORE). Knowledge of EOC will allow mills to pay growers for the oil content of their crop, providing further motivation to growers to improve FORE. These recovery efficiency measures allow a more holistic analysis of the overall oil recovery process involving the growers and the mills, likely leading to reduced friction and better overall performance. - Donough, C.R., J. Cock, T. Oberthür, K. Indrasuara, Rahmadsyah, A.R. Gatot and T. Dolong | |
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| Yield Gap, Indigenous Nutrient Supply and Nutrient Use Efficiency for Maize in China | |
| Abstract: Great achievements have been attained in agricultural production of China, while there are still many difficulties and challenges ahead that call for put more efforts to overcome to guarantee food security and protect environment simultaneously. Analyzing yield gap and nutrient use efficiency will help develop and inform agricultural policies and strategies to increase grain yield. On-farm datasets from 2001 to 2012 with 1,971 field experiments for maize (Zea mays L.) were collected in four maize agro-ecological regions of China, and the optimal management (OPT), farmers’ practice (FP), a series of nutrient omission treatments were used to analyze yield gap, nutrient use efficiency and indigenous nutrient supply by adopting meta-analysis and ANOVA analysis. Across all sites, the average yield gap between OPT and FP was 0.7 t ha-1, the yield response to nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were 1.8, 1.0, and 1.2 t ha-1, respectively. The soil indigenous nutrient supply of N, P, and K averaged 139.9, 33.7, and 127.5 kg ha-1, respectively. As compared to FP, the average recovery efficiency (RE) of N, P, and K with OPT increased by percentage point of 12.2, 5.5, and 6.5, respectively. This study indicated that there would be considerable potential to further improve yield and nutrient use efficiency in China, and will help develop and inform agricultural policies and strategies, while some management measures such as soil, plant and nutrient are necessary and integrate with advanced knowledge and technologies. - Xu X, Liu X, He P, Johnston AM, Zhao S, Qiu S, et al. Source: PLoS One, 10 (10), October 2015 | |
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| Vietnamese Coffee Production and Processing Continue to Expand | |
| "After years of targeting 500,000 hectares as sustainable levels of production, the Vietnamese government increased the target to 600,000 hectares. Coffee cultivated area continues to expand in Lam Dong and Dak Nong, but in areas such as Gia Lai province, it has declined due to competition from crops such as black pepper. Total coffee area is estimated at 670,000 hectares, taking into account information from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the local coffee industry. The government projects that approximately 120,000 hectares will be replanted in the Central Highlands region between 2014 and 2020, at around US$555.4 million."
Source: C & CI, September 2015 | |
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| Coffee Forum Call for Radical Change in how Coffee Sector Works | |
| Speakers at the ICO’s Global Coffee Forum touched on significant issues facing the coffee industry. Michael Neumann, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Hanns R Neumann Stiftung (HRNS), told delegates that in 15 years from now, there will be a world coffee market of 200 million bags consumed by a growing proportion of the population. In 1950, 87 per cent of world production was Arabica coffee and only 13 per cent Robusta, almost exclusively in Africa. By 1989 the trend towards more Robusta was visible and today it accounts for 45 per cent of world production. He added that countries such as Vietnam and Colombia are able to produce an average 2.4 tonnes per hectare of Robusta and in excess of 1 tonne of Arabica, both of acceptable quality. If smallholders elsewhere can manage to increase productivity by 500kg per hectare, the aggregate additional production would be able to meet growing demand worldwide. He echoed that pre-competitive collaboration, a theme expressed by other leading players at the conference, such as Andrea Illy and Giuseppe Lavazza, would be able to achieve a significant increase in production. "Too many private support efforts in coffee are marketing-geared, often for a quick fix," he said. "I calculate that roasters worldwide are spending in excess of US 100 million each year in such a fashion. Maybe this policy is good for their businesses but I am afraid at considerable risk to their brands and reputations in the medium term," he claimed, noting that the impact of these investments "is often minimal”. The coffee industry "has a problem" he said, in its fixation on the New York 'C' price (for Arabica) , when demand growth was actually occurring in the Robusta sector. He told delegates that creating shared value for coffee farmers, customers and businesses is a key part of the solution to some of the current global challenges facing the coffee industry. Roberio Silva, the Executive Director of the ICO, also forecast an increase in demand. He put this at 25 million bags in the next decade. Mr Illy told the press briefing that temperatures in Brazil, the world 's leading producing country are too high for coffee at times, and also warned of less land being suitable for coffee production in future. He said that, whereas production growth in the past had been broadly linear in nature, future demand growth would need a kind of "discontinuity" if production is to keep up with demand. This kind of discontinuity was only possible, he said, if significant production improvements could be on a much larger scale than has been possible to date. Source: C &CI, November 2015 | |
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| El Nino Expected to be Strongest since 1997 - 1998 | |
| In a statement it issued in September the World Meteorological Organization said it expects the current El Nino weather event - which is caused by changes in water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean - to be the strongest since 1997-98 so its potential impact is being closely followed. In a recent report, Schroders, the investment bank, noted that whether an El Nino will occur, and its effects, are unpredictable. The predominant impact of El Nino is on agricultural output, which can show up as price increases as a consequence. In Asia, where Robusta is predominant, the warmer, drier weather tends to stunt the growth of coffee beans, which drives down supply and raises prices. As Schroders noted, cocoa output has been volatile for the last 30 years, regardless of El Nino, but data would suggest that there is a correlation between cocoa prices and El Nino events. Speaking at the ICCO's recent cocoa market outlook conference in September in London, Dr. Edward George, Head of Group Research at Ecobank, told delegates that it was not clear that El Nino would definitely have an effect on cocoa or, if it did, what sort of effect it might have. "The weather phenomenon is the strongest since 1997/98 and it hangs as a major risk over this season, even if its impact on the crop is uncertain," Dr George concluded. Source: C & CI, November 2015 | |
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| Financial Profitability and Sensitivity Analysis of Palm Oil Plantation in Indonesia | |
| Abstract: Oil palm cultivation in Indonesia is increasing. This study investigates the financial and economic aspects of establishing an oil palm plantation using data collected in 2014. The financial case study is undertaken from the perspective of company in North Sumatra, Indonesia. A spreadsheet model was used to develop and calculate the net present value (NPV), return of investment (ROI), internal rate of return (IRR) and payback period (PP). Sensitivity analysis of the NPV to the default discount rate (10%) was included. A 8,000 ha plantation over 25 years was estimated to result in a positive NPV of USD 10,670 with a ROI 73.50% and an IRR at 14.83% and payback period of 6.75 years. Establishing an oil palm plantation seems to be very profitable investment on the basis of the assumptions made. System is tested on sensitivity in different capital and recurrent costs and in selling price of raw material, while change in selling price of FFB is more sensitive to NPV than change in investment and recurrent costs Discount rate is also one of the factors affecting NPV and system is tested between 5–15% change in discount rate. - Tereza Svatoòová, Herák, D., Kabutey, A. Source:Acta Univ. Agric. Silvic. Mendelianae Brun. 2015, 63: 1365-1373 | |
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| Meeting Global Food Needs: Realizing the Potential via Genetics × Environment × Management Interactions | |
| Abstract: Global food needs are projected to double by 2050 to feed the 9 billion people and the challenge presented to agriculture is whether this is feasible. These goals will be faced with an increasing variability in climate and more extremes in temperature and precipitation in all parts of the world and a decreasing land resource base in extent and quality. There are many challenges to be faced; however, focusing on the interactions of genetics × environment × management (G × E × M) offers the potential to feed the 9 billion. Understanding and quantifying yield gaps offer a framework to assess the progress, and the challenge will be to determine the most effective and efficient way of closing the yield gap by using water and nutrients more efficiently. The more feasible approach of increasing potential will be to increase the actual yields rather than increasing potential yield. Actual yield increases and overall productivity can come from management systems focused on increasing land productivity because our ability to expand the available land resources are not a viable option. Development of methods of screening genotypes for a variety of responses to combinations of environmental and management scenarios offers the potential pathway to developing a robust structure for G × E × M. We can meet this challenge; however, the paradigm of how we currently conduct research will not be rapid enough and we need to develop the trans-disciplinary teams to represent each component of the G × E × M interaction. - Hatfield, J. L. and C. L. Walthall Source: Agronomy Journal, Vol. 107 no. 4: 1215 - 1226 (2015) | |
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| How Digital Innovation can Improve Mining Productivity | |
| The global mining industry is under pressure. In the short term, falling commodity prices are squeezing cash flow. Looking ahead, many existing mines are maturing, resulting in the extraction of lower ore grades and longer haul distances from the mine face; ore-body-replacement rates are in decline; and new mine- development times are increasing. On top of this, worldwide mining operations are as much as 8 percent less productive today than a decade ago—and that’s after adjusting for declining ore grades. The industry has shifted its focus to improving productivity by “sweating” existing assets, but this strategy will go only so far. Despite the industry’s booms and busts, the nature of mining has stayed the same for decades. Achieving a breakthrough on productivity performance demands rethinking how mining works. - Durrant-Whyte, H., R. Geraghty, F. Pujol, and R. Sellschop Click here to read more. | |
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| Efficiency of Nutrients Removal from Palm Oil Mill Effluent Treatment Systems | |
| While most studies concentrate on organic removal from palm oil mill effluent (POME), the resulting nutrient recovery and subsequent removal from the wastewater is infrequently described. Although sporadic research has been performed to investigate nutrient removal efficiency of a single technology, the efficacy after combined with other technologies, which usually happened in industrial effluent treatment systems (IETS) has not been thoroughly checked. Hence, this study assessed the effectiveness of 4 IETS having different technology combination in nutrient removal. Nutrients such as total nitrogen (TN), ammoniacal nitrogen (AN) and total phosphorus (TP) from POME of these IETS were analysed. Of the 4 IETS investigated, the combined ponding system, anaerobic digesters and extended aeration coupled with fixed packing in activated sludge aeration tank showed the highest nutrient treatment efficiency (92.5% TN, 94.5% AN and 93.5% TP). Moving forward, biological nutrient removal should gear towards cradle-to-cradle waste management approaches stressing on sustainable recovery of essential nutrients through operative technologies. Source: J. Oil Palm Research, Vol. 27 (4): 433 - 443 (2015) | |
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| Oil Palm Growing Soils of the World | |
| Abstract: It is clear that climate determines where oil palm is planted globally. Oil palm growing areas are confined to areas 8° north and south of the equator and in areas with good total monthly distribution of rainfall. This paper outlines the climate, land and soil characteristics suitable for oil palm cultivation. The climate (temperature and rainfall) determines where oil palm can be grown. Oil palm is best planted on slopes less than 12° but should not be planted in areas with slopes in excess of 25 °. A survey of the soils found in the different oil palm growing areas is given in this paper: The importance of parent materials in determining soil physical and fertility characteristics is emphasised. Malaysia and Indonesia are by far the largest oil palm growing countries globally.
Most countries use or equate their oil palm soils in the USDA's Soil Taxonomy or the FAQ/UNESCO Soil Map of the World Legend often modified for local use. Malaysia, in addition, has developed Keys to the Identification of their soils and grouped them into Management Groups. Source: The Planter, Kuala Lumpur, 91 (1075): 649 - 685 (2015) | |
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| New Entries to the IPNI Library | |
| We have also updated our SEAP Reference Database with references dealing mainly with the following topics: oil palm, banana, cocoa and coffee. For a complete listing of these references, please click on the attachment below. | |
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| IPNI SEAP in the Press | |
| Our popular Planters' Diary for 2016 has just been printed and are ready for dissemination. These informative short articles shall soon be accessible online. | |
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| Upcoming Events | |
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| 14th African Fine Coffee Conference & Exhibition - Research and Innovation 3 - 5 February 2016 Zanzibar, Tanzania | |
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| 4th World Coffee Conference 6 - 8 March 2016 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | |
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| NPK Fertilizers India 2016 9 -10 March 2016 New Delhi, India | |
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| 5th International Conference on Oil Palm and Environment (ICOPE) 16 - 18 March 2016 Nusa Dua, Bali | |
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| Jakarta International Expo 22 - 24 March 2016 Jakarta, Indonesia | |
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| Palmex Thailand 2016 18 - 19 August 2016 Surat Thani, Thailand | |
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| Oils and Fats International Congress 2016 19 - 21 October 2016 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | |
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| Partnership Meeting and Cocoa Sustainability Trade Fair 26 - 27 October 2016 Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire | |
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| 26th ASIC International Conference on Coffee Science 13 - 19 November 2016 Kunming, China | |
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| 7th International Nitrogen Initiative Conference (INI2016) - invitation for submissions 4 – 8 December 2016 Melbourne, Australia Authors are invited to submit four-page papers by 29 April 2016. | |
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| Subscribe to the SEAP Newsletter | |
| The SEAP Quarterly Newsletter aims to provide information on recent activities of our program and selected news on regional developments. If you would like be on our mailing list, please send us an email. To access previous issues of our newsletter, please click here. SEAP Information Services The Southeast Asia Program office of IPNI has an intensive collection of papers, books, articles, newsletters, and slides categorized into a searchable information database. A list of the latest additions to our reference database is attached. We can also provide search lists of the resources available in our physical library. Click here for more information on our Information Services. | |
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| Disclaimer: News from the Region is a selection of regional agriculture-related articles extracted from internet sources. IPNI does not verify, endorse, or take responsibility for the accuracy, currency, completeness or quality of the content in these sites. Due to the nature of this service, IPNI cannot always verify every single news item. Be sure to check with the official websites of the companies, universities, research centers, and government agencies before using any information in the SEAP newsletters or webpages, as IPNI cannot vouch for news items submitted by the public. Links to external websites are included for the sole purpose of providing easy access to the source. The inclusion of external hyperlinks does not constitute IPNI’s endorsement of the views expressed by these websites. IPNI shall not be responsible for any damages caused directly or indirectly by the use of any information or content from within linked websites. | |
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