TFNet’s 9th General Assembly (GA) and 17th Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting were held on the 22nd September 2025, in hybrid mode, with the physical session convening in Darwin, Australia.
The GA brought together nine TFNet Country Members (Australia, Bangladesh, China, Fiji, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Sudan), five Associate Members (AARDO, CABI, JIRCAS, MARDI, and MUF), three Expert Members, one Ordinary Member, and four observers from Malaysia, alongside the TFNet Secretariat. Dr. Muhammad Sohail Mazhar, representing Australia, was appointed Chairperson of the GA, with Dr. Shalendra Prasad of Fiji and Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh of India elected as Vice Chairpersons.
TFNet Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Muhamed Salim bin Mohd Ali, presented the 2022–2025 progress report covering membership status, financial sustainability, activities, corporate communications, financial performance, and administrative matters. He also introduced the draft 2025–2030 Strategic Plan and triennial workplan, designed to capture key industry megatrends and guide TFNet’s future programmes. Following delegates’ recommendations, the plan was refined and adopted by the Assembly to help member countries stay competitive and resilient in a changing global market.
During the election of the new Board of Trustees (2025–2028), Malaysia retained the Chairpersonship, while China and Fiji continued their second terms as Vice Chairpersons. The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and CAB International (CABI) were also re-elected for their second terms. For Expert Members, Peter Johnson (Australia) and Dr. Phebe Ding (Malaysia) were newly elected, with the Assembly expressing gratitude to outgoing Expert Member Datuk Dr. Mohamad Roff for his contributions. India and Philippines were appointed as the new internal auditors for the coming term. India has also expressed its interest in hosting the next General Assembly in 2028.
In his remarks, H.E. Datuk Seri Isham Ishak stated: “TFNet has built a strong influence in research and knowledge sharing across the tropical fruit sector. The next step is to expand this role towards trade facilitation and market access, enabling our member countries to strengthen their competitiveness and create greater opportunities for producers and consumers alike.”
The 17th BOT meeting was convened in the afternoon under the Chairmanship of H.E. Datuk Seri Isham Ishak who is also the Secretary General for the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. As the appointed Internal Auditor, Datuk Dr. Mohamad Roff presented the internal audit report on TFNet’s financial and asset management, administration, membership, consultancies, collaborations, and knowledge dissemination. China offered to host the BOT for 2026.
In closing the 17th Board of Trustees meeting, the Chairperson thanked members for their active participation and reaffirmed the collective commitment to implementing the Strategic Plan 2025–2030. He stressed the need for continued collaboration and consistent support from members to ensure TFNet remains responsive, impactful, and a driving force in advancing sustainable tropical fruit development.
TFNet Board of Trustees 2025–2028
Chair
- Malaysia
Vice Chairs
- China
- Fiji
Other Member Countries
Australia, India, Philippines, Bangladesh, Syria, Nigeria, Indonesia, Sudan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia
Associate Member Representatives
- Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI): Dato’ Dr. Mohamad Zabawi bin Abdul Ghani, Director General
- CAB International (CABI): Dr. Feng Zhang, Regional Director, East & South-East Asia
Expert Members
- Mr. Peter Johnson, Australia
- Dr. Phebe Ding, Malaysia
FAO Representative
- Mr. Pascal Liu, Team Leader, International Investment and Tropical Fruits, Trade and Markets Division
Secretary
- TFNet CEO
Additional Information:
Newly Appointed Internal Auditors: India and Philippines