The Food Value Chain (FVC) Training Course, conducted under the HRD Project Phase 4 in partnership with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), was successfully held from 7th to 10th May 2025 in Putrajaya, Malaysia. The programme was jointly organised by HRD Project Phase 4, the Department of Bioresource Economics at UPM, and the Japan Food Journal.
The training was attended by 34 students from the Department of Agribusiness and Bioresource Economics at UPM. A total of six distinguished experts from Japanese public and private institutions participated, sharing valuable insights drawn from their extensive knowledge and practical experience in the field of food value chains.
The curriculum was carefully designed to present cutting-edge innovations and best practices from Japan’s food value chain system. It covered key topics across the entire value chain, including: (1) Introduction of Food Value Chain and Methods for improving value chain of agricultural and food products, (2) Outline for the Organic Japanese Agricultural Standards(JAS), (3) Food Packing Technology for Food Value Chain, (4) Enhance Food Integrity – Food Safety and Social Responsibilities through food, (5) Agricultural cooperative in related to supporting farmers and exploring agribusiness, (6) Sustainable management of food and agriculture including decarbonization and reduction of chemical usage; a case study on Optimization of agricultural production techniques for the tropical climate of Southeast Asia.
In addition to lectures, a workshop was facilitated by an expert from Chitose Agri Laboratory. This session provided participants with the opportunity to develop practical strategies for implementing food value chain innovations. Discussions emphasised the creation of new value in agribusiness, integrating not only production but also social and economic dimensions, and stressed the importance of building viable business models to support sustainable agriculture.
To further enhance participants’ understanding, the programme also included a field visit to the AEON Perishable Transfer Centre in Kuala Lumpur. This provided students with first-hand exposure to real-world operations, bridging theory with practice.
This successful training course strengthened academic and professional collaboration between Malaysia and Japan and reinforced the critical role of knowledge-sharing in advancing sustainable food systems in the region.
