About

Rationale

Tropical fruits depend on specific temperature ranges for optimal growth and quality. Deviations from these conditions—due to shifting temperatures, water scarcity, pests, diseases, and farming practices—can significantly affect yield and fruit quality. In some regions, rising temperatures may force relocation of fruit cultivation to more suitable areas.

Urgent adaptation strategies are needed to build adaptive capacity and reduce climate risks. These include adopting resilient cultivars, adjusting farming practices, improving water and soil management, modifying microclimates, and relocating production zones. Tools such as historical climate data, ensemble modeling, spatial analysis, and agro-climatic zoning can help identify climate risks and inform planning.

Government agencies, researchers, and extension services play key roles in supporting growers through adaptation strategies and promoting sustainable practices.

Phase III of the DFNet Project will establish an international expert network to address climate change impacts on tropical fruits and support smallholder farmers across the Asia-Pacific. Through workshops and an enhanced information platform, the project will foster regional collaboration, share best practices, and develop innovative solutions. The platform will continue highlighting climate impacts and sharing key themes from Phases I and II.

Objectives

• Facilitate a field visit to demonstrate climate-related risks and adaptive agricultural practices in tropical fruit production in the Philippines.
• Foster knowledge sharing and cross-country learning to strengthen climate change adaptation efforts for tropical fruit production in the Asia-Pacific region.
  • Share Consortium Country Reports that reflect the workshop’s thematic areas, building on insights from previous discussions.
  • Identify knowledge gaps, emerging priorities, and opportunities for resource mobilization.
  • Present progress updates on DFNet guidebook development.

Themes

• Orchards vulnerable to climate change effects, demonstrating environmental monitoring to support informed decision-making.
• Orchards showcasing exemplary agricultural practices, including low-carbon farming and other adaptive techniques.
• Roundtable discussion:

(1) Presentations and Country reports addressing the workshop topics

(2) Identify gaps, emerging actions and way forward

(3) Resource mobilization:

• • How the project can contribute
  • How the members can contribute

Workshop highlights

The DFNet 2025 Workshop in the Philippines will bring together 26 Tropical Fruit Consortium members from 10 countries—India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam—for a three-day program combining field visits and a technical forum. The workshop, hosted by DOST-PCAARRD and UPLB, will take place across Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna.

The program features two days of field visits and one day of forum discussions. Confirmed field sites include:

• Luis Nate Farm, Maite, Hermosa, Bataan – Pineapple and coconut
• Aya-Oyo Farm, Old San Jose, Dinalupihan, Bataan – Mango and calamansi
• Bulacan Dragon Fruit Depot, Angat, Bulacan – 100 varieties of dragon fruit
• Intellifarm Indoor Strawberry Farm, Balagtas, Bulacan – Strawberry production
• Eddie Silan Farm, Silang, Cavite – Dragon fruit, pineapple, and papaya
• Cabuyao Smallholder Farm, Cabuyao, Laguna – Mixed smallholder fruit farming

The workshop will be held on October 28–30, 2025, and a summary of results will be shared afterward.