H.E. Dr. Manoj Nardeosingh, Secretary General of the African Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO), recently paid a courtesy visit to Mr Muhamed Salim bin Mohd Ali, Chief Executive Officer of the International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet). The meeting served to exchange updates on current activities and to chart a new phase of collaboration.
Since signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with TFNet on 18 November 2005, AARDO has remained a key Associate Member of TFNet, with representation to TFNet’s Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2021. Dr Nardeosingh and Mr Salim agreed to revisit this MoU to reflect emerging priorities such as climate‑smart agroforestry and inclusive market systems for tropical fruits. Focus areas include:
- Linking rural development with tropical‑fruit value chains – combining AARDO’s rural‑livelihoods mandate with TFNet’s technical expertise in production, post‑harvest handling, and value chain improvement.
- Expanding capacity‑building programmes through joint training and workshops, including a potential annual AARDO–TFNet flagship seminar on sustainable rural development, plus targeted technology transfer for smallholder tropical fruits producers.
- Expanded market access – mapping practical pathways for rural tropical fruit producers to reach regional and international buyers.
As membership-based organizations, TFNet and AARDO also discussed ways to retain and boost member engagement, which is essential for sustaining their missions.
In addition, the meeting highlighted opportunities to collaborate with external networks, including global research partners such as the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), which could open new funding streams for joint projects.
A formal invitation was extended for AARDO to participate in the International Symposium on Tropical Fruits (ISTF) 2025 in Darwin, Australia, from 23rd to 25th September 2025, with AARDO committing to disseminate the information on the symposium to its member network to encourage participation.
The courtesy visit concluded with a commitment to update the existing MoU which will pave the way for a more dynamic partnership between both organizations.
