Foreword from Ms. Kazuko Takabatake, Project Coordinator of HRD Project Phase 4

I succeeded Mr. Kinoshita as Project Coordinator for Phase 4 in February, 2024. I worked as the agricultural attaché at the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia and the Mission of Japan to ASEAN from 2012 to 2015. From 2018 to 2021, I worked at JICA Uzbekistan, where I was responsible for human resource development programmes. I look forward to contributing to this programme with my previous experience. Following on from Phase 3, the objectives of Phase 4 are as follows: 1) Enhancement/Improvement of the system for human resource development on the Food Value Chain in the region through programmes such as lecture programmes and training programmes by experts in related fields, 2) Development of human resources for enhancing food security, awareness of agricultural and food-related regulations and standards of Japan and ASEAN, including approaches to sustainable agriculture, 3)Built networks among the young generation, compositional organisations for strengthening FVC, such as Agricultural Cooperatives, agricultural community enterprises and farmer organisations, through proper involvement in programmes. I hope that many young generations in AMSs will gain a lot of knowledge and skills through the programme, learn from the Japanese experience, and become competent human resources professionals who can contribute to strengthening FVC and further developing agriculture and the food industry in the ASEAN region.