Agriculture is crucial in the development of Southeast Asian countries as this sector remains a major source of income for rural people. Since hunger and malnutrition are more prevalent in rural areas, increasing income opportunities in agriculture can reduce poverty and enhance national food security. However, the agricultural sector faces heightened pressures from population growth, environmental stresses, production related constraints, and climate change. This leads to renewed challenges in agricultural production research, extension, and education.
Improving the agricultural sector thus requires an improved innovation system that produces changes in processes, policies, and visions among agricultural stakeholders. Such improvements can lead to transformative and innovative programs and products. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of agriculture, as ensuring a safe and nutritious food supply became a major concern. Accordingly, the disruption of the food supply chain accelerated the adoption of ICT-based applications for farmer education and food delivery. This has also reinvigorated the interest of venture capitalists to invest in agriculture. Recent developments show that markets drive innovation systems, but government can facilitate improvements through strategic collaborations with the diJerent stakeholders in the supply chain.
As the world moves into Society 5.0, technological innovations and human-centered solutions integrate to enhance quality of life. Society 5.0 envisions a smarter society where humans, nature, and technology co-exist in a sustainable balance through datadriven solutions. By leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data, the agriculture sector can address the challenges of the new future and promote an industry that is responsive to the needs of the times. Hence, the TrAInS program seeks to immerse participants in evaluating critical issues, trends, and challenges in agriculture, fostering the creation of collaborative and transformative agricultural development plans. This approach empowers participants to propose innovative programs that could significantly enhance their agricultural innovation systems.
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