The International Coconut Community (ICC) participated in the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD 13), held in Bangkok, Thailand, as an observer Intergovernmental Organization, reaffirming the strategic importance of the coconut sector in accelerating progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Forum, convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), brought together ministers, senior government officials, UN agencies, development partners, civil society, the private sector, and youth representatives from across the Asia-Pacific region.
APFSD 13 took place against the backdrop of a narrowing global window to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Discussions throughout the Forum emphasized the urgent need to move from commitments to implementation, particularly in priority areas such as water security, energy access, sustainable cities, climate resilience, and strengthened development partnerships. Participants underscored that while notable progress has been achieved in parts of the region, persistent inequalities and mounting climate risks continue to threaten hard-won development gains.
Opening the Forum, Her Excellency Dr. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UNESCAP, cautioned that the weakening of multilateralism could undermine global partnerships essential for sustainable development. She highlighted that Asia and the Pacific, now a global hub for technology and finance, possesses the means of implementation required to accelerate progress, provided that regional cooperation is strengthened and adapted to rapidly evolving global realities.
This call for renewed multilateral action was echoed by Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), who emphasized the significance of the Pact for the Future in reinforcing collective responsibility, shared accountability, and practical collaboration. He noted that coordinated regional action enhances global stability and credibility, particularly in areas such as climate resilience, connectivity, trade, and social protection.
The Forum was chaired by His Excellency Fane Fotu Fituafe, Minister of Internal Affairs of Tonga, who underlined APFSD’s role as a critical regional platform to assess progress, identify gaps, and advance equitable and innovative solutions at scale. Throughout the four-day event, delegates examined uneven development outcomes across the region, including disparities in access to safely managed sanitation, persistent energy affordability challenges in remote and island communities, and widening digital divides despite rapid infrastructure expansion.
Within this broader regional discourse, ICC used the Forum to highlight the often-underappreciated role of perennial crops, particularly coconut, in advancing sustainable development outcomes, represented by its Director General, Dr. Jelfina C. Alouw, and Deputy Director General, Mr. Nuwan Chinthaka Aluthwalahewa. ICC DG delivered an official statement aligning the priorities of the global coconut sector with the APFSD 13 theme and regional SDG priorities.
In its statement, DG emphasized that the coconut sector supports the livelihoods of more than 65 million farmers across Asia and the Pacific and contributes directly to multiple SDGs, including poverty eradication, food and nutrition security, decent work, responsible production and consumption, climate action, and ecosystem protection. Beyond its economic importance, coconut-based landscapes were highlighted as nature-based solutions that provide ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, coastal protection, biodiversity conservation, and soil and water regulation.
At the same time, ICC drew attention to the vulnerabilities facing coconut-growing communities. Extreme climate events, prolonged droughts, cyclones, price volatility, aging plantations, and limited access to technology and finance disproportionately affect smallholders, women, and youth. Recent climate-induced disasters in several coconut-producing countries were cited as stark reminders of the sector’s exposure to climate risks and the urgent need for resilience-focused interventions.
Against this context, ICC reiterated its commitment to translating regional policy discussions into tangible, on-the-ground outcomes. The organization highlighted ongoing efforts to rehabilitate senile coconut plantations using high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties, while strengthening the International Coconut Genebank network to conserve genetic diversity and secure critical breeding resources for future generations. Sustainable value addition was identified as another priority area, encompassing coconut oil, oleochemicals, coconut water, sugar, coir, shell-based products, and bio-energy solutions that can enhance incomes while reducing environmental footprints.
A strong emphasis was placed on inclusive development, with ICC underscoring its programs to promote youth and women entrepreneurship, skills development, and access to markets. By fostering South-South cooperation, facilitating technology transfer, and improving data sharing among member countries, ICC aims to strengthen regional capacities and reduce development gaps within the coconut sector.
The Forum also provided an opportunity to situate the coconut sector within broader discussions on just transition and circular bio-economy approaches. DG highlighted the potential of coconut biomass and by-products to support renewable energy generation, biodegradable materials, and organic fertilizers, contributing simultaneously to emissions reduction, waste minimization, and rural job creation. The role of digital tools, such as traceability systems, early warning mechanisms, and data-driven decision support, was also emphasized as a means of enhancing transparency, resilience, and efficiency along coconut value chains.
Recognizing that transformative change cannot be achieved by any single actor, DG called for strengthened regional and international partnerships. In its statement, the organization urged development partners, financial institutions, and the UN system to better integrate perennial crops like coconut into national climate, food security, and rural development strategies; expand concessional financing for replanting and agro-ecological innovation; support disaster-risk insurance mechanisms tailored to smallholders; and recognize coconut landscapes within emerging carbon and biodiversity financing frameworks.
Reflecting on ICC’s participation, the organization reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate closely with UNESCAP and other UN agencies, including FAO and other UN agencies, to ensure that coconut-growing communities are not left behind in the final push toward 2030. By empowering farmers, modernizing coconut industries, and safeguarding ecosystems, ICC envisions the coconut sector as a model of inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development for the Asia-Pacific region.
As APFSD 13 concluded, ICC welcomed the renewed momentum for regional cooperation and practical partnerships. The Forum served as a timely reminder that achieving the SDGs requires aligning global ambitions with local realities, particularly in rural, island, and coastal communities where the coconut tree remains a true “Tree of Life.”
Visit to Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute
ICC delegation also undertook a coordination and preparatory visit to Kasetsart University, where discussions were held withDr. Siwaret Arikit, Leader of COGENT ITAG 02, in connection with the upcoming 4th International Conference on Tropical Plants. The meeting focused on the planning of a jointly organized ICC–COGENT technical session on coconut under the theme “Resilient Coconut Futures: Bridging Genetics, Smart Agriculture, and the Bioeconomy,” to be complemented by a dedicated workshop on Coconut Genomics. These activities aim to strengthen scientific collaboration, promote cutting-edge research, and translate genomic advances into practical applications for climate resilience and productivity in the coconut sector. During the visit, the ICC delegation also met with the Director of the Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute, acknowledging the Institute’s continued support for coconut research and reaffirming ICC’s commitment to deepening academic and research partnerships in support of sustainable coconut development in the region.