The Cocotech meeting is an annual gathering organized by the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community or APCC. The APCC is an independent regional intergovernmental organization consisting of 13 member countries that include the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji and India.
Established in 1969, the APCCs mandate is to promote, coordinate and harmonize activities in the coconut industry which sustain the lives of millions of coconut farmers as well as those engaged in the processing of coconuts.
Hosted by Vietnam, this years meeting was anchored on the theme "Health and Wealth From the Coconut". Among the topics discussed were the strengthening of the coconut industrys foundation through increased farmers income, harnessing research and development for sustainable coconut production, product and market development, and improving farmers income through partnering of stakeholders.
Coronacion was accompanied by Gerardo Santos of the PCAs Zamboanga Research Center, Dr. Rolendio Palomar of the PCAs ZRC-coconut wood utilization division and Romulo Amrancon of the PCAs Coconut Extension Training Center.
Santos spoke on the countrys experience in the promotion of coconut-based farming system.