MICHEL ABEL DELABARRE obtained his diploma in Agronomy from the Agronomy High School of Nogent-sur-Marne (ESAAT) France in 1962. After graduation he joined the Rubber Research Institute (IRCA) as a Pathologist. He continued his studies at the University of Abidjan (Ivory Coast) where he obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1977. During this time he was also involved in rubber research in Colombia, South America and served as a consultant with INCORA (Institute Nacional por la Reforma Agraria) in 1967. He has served on missions conducting studies on rubber crop protection in various countries including Libéria, Cameroon, and Brazil for about 25 years. From 1971 until 1983 he was involved in Agropharmacology, establishing, supervising and managing four agropharmaceutical experiment stations in Africa, Taiwan and the Philippines. In 1985 he was assigned by IRCA to Indonesia as a consultant to Balai Perkebunan Penelitian, Sembawa (Rubber Research Institute). He then joined the Smallholder Rubber Development Project of the Directorat General of Estâtes, Ministry of Agriculture, and served as the Rubber Production Adviser for the Project from 1986 until mid-1992.