The promotion of rural-based agroprocessing enterprises has important implications for increasing rural employment opportunities and expanding agricultural production. Such enterprises, however, must contend with a constantly changing business environment due to market globalization, advances in biotechnology and information technology, and evolving societal concerns about the environment, health, and nutrition. This sector therefore must be sufficiently efficient and productive to grow and remain competitive and relevant in a constantly evolving marketplace.

To assist agroprocessers, the APO organized the workshop on Planning and Management of Rural-based Agroprocessing Enterprises in Bali, Indonesia, 11−15 May. The workshop was jointly implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration targeting professionals involved in the planning, development, and management of agroprocessing programs. The workshop’s 21 participants from government, academia, and private enterprises of 10 member countries learned about productivity tools and techniques and associated best practices and new approaches during five days of presentations by resource speakers, country case sharing, site visits, and group discussions.

Participants appreciated the commitment of the implementing organizations, whose representatives shared their experiences and practices related to the governmental policy of the host country and its productivity tools. Director General Dr. Zaenal Bachruddin, Processing and Marketing Agriculture Products, Ministry of Agriculture, attended the opening ceremony to welcome participants. Head of Planning Division Dr. Ananto K. Seta, Directorate General of Processing and Marketing of Agricultural Products, Ministry of Agriculture, provided participants with an overview of the Indonesian policy for promoting the agricultural sector. Head of the Food Technology Department Dr. Dahrul Syah, Bogor Agriculture University, presented a paper on Productivity and Management Tools and Techniques for Agroprocessing Enterprises.

The APO also deputed three resource speakers who imparted applicable methodologies, tools, and techniques for agribusiness improvement from a variety of perspectives. Executive Director Prof. Reuel K. Virtucio, Punla sa Tao Foundation, the Philippines, presented two papers on the various tools available to agroprocessors for financial and investment decision making and supply chain management. He also introduced a financial statement reader template in the MS Excel format which enables users to compute key financial ratios when analyzing business soundness. Consultant Mohan Dhamtharan from Germany conducted an interactive session on Community Capacity Development for Rural-based Agroindustry. In an effort to showcase strategic integration between a company and rural community, the APO invited General Manager Bernard Reynauld, Bio Diesel Oils Nz Ltd. to explain his business model for the manufacture of biodiesel in rural communities engaged in the cultivation of nonedible energy-producing crops for the company.

The field visits to three agroprocessing SMEs successfully demonstrated how to establish and maintain a win-win relationship between the agroprocessing industry and agriculture sector. The three SMEs were Tembesi Abattoir, a livestock-processing enterprise; Squeeze, a producer of tropical fruit juice; and Putra Bhineka Perkasa PT, a coffee processor. The workshop concluded with the formation of productivity improvement programs for agroprocessing enterprises as follow-up activities for participants.

Field visits to: