Special Projects

産業人材育成支援事業（経済産業省特別拠出金事業）の公募のお知らせ

APO Special Cash Grant Program: Training Program on Productivity Improvement for the Supporting Industry

2024/3
APOでは、経済産業省より特別拠出金を受け、産業人材育成支援事業を実施しております。
本事業で支援する企業に対する公募の詳細につきましては実施要領をご覧ください。

The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) conducts Training Program on Productivity Improvement for the Supporting Industry with the use of a special cash grant from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.
For further information, please refer to “Implementation Guidelines” below.

実施要領 / Implementation Guidelines 

●ものづくり人材育成事業  / Monozukuri Project

申請書類 / Application Forms  

提出用フォーム（事業後に提出）/ Documents and Forms to be submitted after completion of the project 

参考資料 / References 

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) manages stable food supply; develops agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; revitalizes rural areas; and manages forest and ocean resources. MAFF’s mission is to hand down food as the basis of human life and a secure environment to future generations.

Special Program for Capacity Building of Sustainable Food Value Chains for Enhanced Food Safety and Quality in Asian Countries

1. • Description:
     To promote advanced food value chains in agriculture and the food industry and disseminate knowledge and technology on increasing productivity and competitiveness by ensuring food safety and quality and reducing food losses in developing Asian countries.
   • Implementation guidelines:
     Based on requests from member countries, the APO conducts in-country projects such as national workshops and training courses, demonstration company projects, and national conferences.
   • Documents/application forms:
     Applications can be made by NPOs.

Demonstration Farm on Innovative Agriculture

1. • Description:
     To establish a demonstration farm on smart innovative in Asian developing countries to promote agricultural productivity and strengthen competitiveness by using smart technologies such as ICT.
   • Implementation guidelines:
     Based on requests from member countries, the APO establishes a demonstration farm on Innovative agriculture, assigns experts with necessary equipment, and accepts trainees in Japan.
   • Documents/application forms:
     Applications can be made by NPOs.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

The OECD is an intergovernmental organization established in 1961 aiming to stimulate economic progress and world trade. It now has 38 member countries that work to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices, and coordinate domestic and international policies.

• Research on Developing Improved Statistics and Methods for Sustainable Productivity – Phase II
  Existing economic and productivity measurement methods do not adequately account for the gains from digital services and technologies. A significant portion of the benefits of free digital services/products such as search engines, real-time traffic apps, instant messaging, etc. is not accounted for in productivity measurement. This is a typical “productivity paradox,” implying that existing approaches may not be measuring correctly. While representing clear values to consumers and occupying an increasing share of consumption, the exclusion of digital products and services from the standard GDP accounting may mask information on real economic activity and performance since GDP growth is reported as slow while consumer welfare increases. In an attempt to overcome these challenges, the APO in collaboration with the OECD started a research project to improve the statistics and methods to capture productivity dynamics viewed from a long-term perspective.
• Membership in the OECD Global Forum on Productivity
  The APO became a member of the OECD Global Forum on Productivity (GFP) in 2020. The GFP provides platforms for international cooperation among public institutions managing productivity-enhancing policies. It focuses on activities such as exchanging information, discussion on best practices, and undertaking productivity analysis.

Asian Development Bank Institute

The ADBI was established in 1997 in Tokyo to help build capacity, skills, and knowledge related to poverty reduction and areas that support the long-term growth and competitiveness of developing member countries. The ADBI provides inputs for policymakers in developing member countries in Asia and the Pacific through research and capacity-building and training activities.
https://www.adb.org/adbi/about

Korea Development Institute

• APO Productivity Outlook
  The APO in collaboration with the KDI conducts an annual study on the outlook for sectoral productivity. The APO Productivity Outlook publication provides in-depth insights on productivity prospects in key sectors to member governments. Cross-country comparative analyses of factors, levels, and growth rates of sectoral productivity are included. The inaugural 2021 edition focuses on the manufacturing sector, the backbone of Asian economies in terms of competitive, sustainable growth and employment.
• SNP on National Productivity Master Plans for Vietnam and Lao PDR
  At the request of the Governments of Lao PDR and Vietnam, the APO in collaboration with the KDI developed National Productivity Master Plans for the two countries to enhance socioeconomic development through nationwide high-productivity growth strategies.

ASEAN

ASEAN is an economic grouping of 10 members to promote intergovernmental cooperation and facilitate economic, political, security, military, educational, and sociocultural integration among its members and other countries in Asia. It also maintains regional peace and stability based on the rule of law and principles of the UN charter.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japan is responsible for the country’s foreign policy and international relations. It provides special cash grants to the APO for project implementation to benefit member economies through productivity improvement.

Special Projects Funded by MOFA, 2020–23

• Technical Cooperation Program for COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery
  This project assists early recovery and stabilization of critical supply systems disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing equipment and technical training to support the healthcare sector and food supply chains of selected APO members. The Government of Japan chose Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam as beneficiaries under this program.
• Development of Green Productivity 2.0
  The Special Project on Development of Green Productivity (GP) 2.0 revisits the GP concept developed in 1994 to update its tools, techniques, and methodologies. It also aims to widen the scope of applications, mainstream GP to make it relevant in addressing current pressing challenges, and link GP with the international community’s efforts to mitigate global environmental concerns. 
• Productivity Gemba Videos
  A series of videos is being developed to showcase the continuing importance and relevance of Japan-based productivity improvement initiatives encapsulated in the gemba approach; illustrate real-life applications of gemba methods, tools, and techniques for enhancing productivity and quality in the manufacturing, service, agriculture, and public sectors; and share insights on implementation from practitioners’ viewpoints.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China is responsible for promoting, expanding and conducting the nation’s foreign relations. In collaboration with the China Productivity Center (CPC), the ministry provides special grants to the APO for specific projects.

These special grants assist the APO in promoting Industry 4.0, smart machinery, smart production and smart agriculture among member economies. Experts may also be assigned to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information on smart initiatives and new developments virtually or in person.