As to ensure the progress of IPC project and programme amidst the ongoing global pandemic of Corona Virus which affected every aspect of people's life, IPC Secretariat organized the 9th Meeting of the IPC Committee on R & D through online platform on 15 October 2020. The meeting was attended by experts of Research and Development from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam. The Meeting which was opened by the Executive Director of the IPC, Mrs. Hoang Thi Lien, was officiated by the Chairman of the IPC, Mr. Sathiyan Duraiswamy, Secretary of Spices Board Govt. of India.
The Meeting which was chaired by Dr. A.B. Rema Shree, Director (R & D) of Spices Board Govt. of India, discussed report from member countries on Nutrition, Fertilization, Harvesting and Post-Harvest Processing as well as touched upon the cost of production of pepper cultivation in each respective country. The IPC Committee on R & D also took upon the opportunity to discuss the revision of the IPC Book on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), issues on pepper traceability, researchable issues of black pepper as well as the harmonization of cost of production of pepper cultivation among IPC member countries.
Furthermore, the Meeting was also utilized to present the latest IPC project of creating of Training Videos for Pepper Farmers. The 12 series of Training Video which was uploaded to IPC Farmers App, IPC Website and Youtube, was successfully created with collaboration between IPC, Spices Board Govt. of India, Horticulture Commission of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare India, Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development India, Kerala Agriculture University, Department of Export Agriculture Sri Lanka and Corbel Business Application. In addition, the Meeting also showcased the latest feature addition to the IPC Farmer App labeled "Community" which was an interactive chatroom feature like for farmers/users of the IPC Farmers App to share their knowledge and expertise as well as discuss problem they might have in cultivation of pepper.
