The Development Academy of the Philippines and APO Secretariat organized a training course on Smart Transformation for Agribusinesses, 8–12 May, in Manila. The course aimed to enhance productivity throughout agrifood value chains. As agribusinesses face challenges such as competition and increasing costs, the adoption of smart technologies contributes to efficient food processing and maintaining quality throughout supply chains. Twenty-two participants from 12 APO members attended the course, including policymakers, agricultural professionals, CEOs and managers of agribusinesses, and researchers.

The training course covered the concept, management, and models of productivity in agribusinesses. During the course, three resource persons from the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand covered various aspects of smart transformation, including methodologies, tools, case studies, and digitalization. They shared best practices and guided participants in exploring prospects for their adoption. In addition, participants had the opportunity to visit DMI Medical Supply Co., Inc. in Manila, to observe value-added agribusiness best practices, and Turbulent Farm to learn about its innovative greenhouse and business systems.

Smart agriculture has great potential for enhancing productivity in agribusinesses, and successful transformation leads to improvements in the quality and productivity of agrifood products. The training course is expected to promote the agribusiness sector in APO member economies, increasing productivity and efficiency.