The second session of the four-day e-Learning course on Innovative Approaches in Marketing of Agrifood Products, held 5–8 December for 120 participants from Bangladesh, India, IR Iran, Nepal, and Pakistan, concluded today in Tokyo. The e-Learning course was conducted using the videoconferencing facilities at the APO Secretariat.

Three experts, Senior Consultant Jun Chanoki, 5Plus2 Corporation Limited (Japan); Managing Director Nerlita M. Manalili, NEXUS Agribusiness Solutions (Philippines); and Dr. Jan Mei Soon, International Institute of Nutritional Sciences and Applied Food Safety Studies, University of Central Lancashire (UK) conducted the course. It consisted of a combination of videoconferencing and offline sessions and included lectures, discussions, presentations of country case studies, group exercises, and written examination conducted by the APO in partnership with the NPOs of participating countries.

Welcoming participants on the inaugural day, APO Secretary-General Santhi Kanoktanaporn said that in an era when urbanization was the new norm and agriculture was becoming less lucrative for the newer generation, it was important for member economies to take steps to make agribusiness more profitable. “Technology can play an important role in this,” he remarked, adding, “While the Internet of Things and maturity of communication technologies now allow remote monitoring and management of farms, the Internet can provide information on weather, soil conditions, and pest threats in real time.”

The Secretary-General pointed out that technology could help member countries ensure that farmers received reasonable prices for agricultural produce by promoting marketing models involving fewer middlemen and rationalizing their roles. “This can be achieved through direct or online e-marketing and agricultural cooperatives,” he emphasized, highlighting the role of technology in creating innovative sales solutions for agrifood products in member countries.