MA paper (excerpt2) details

PROJECT DETAILS

 

SECTION A: Relevance to APEC

 

1. Relevance: What problem does the project seek to address? Does it have sustained benefits for more than one economy?

 

1. A.   This proposed project is focused on cross-region agricultural research and development to exert the advantage in IUR of the advanced economies together with the geographical and social conditions in the underdeveloped economies, which provides way to solve issues on disaster risk reduction, plant pests and diseases, land degradation and biodiversity challenge together with improving the agricultural innovation to enhance the food safety and sustainability.

 

1. B.   The first Principle of Cooperation is to achieve a win-win progress through complementary cooperation. The project is a win-win cooperation rather than just an assistance program: the supporter companies, institutes and agribusiness corporations are from different economies, including both the developed economies and the underdeveloped ones which could not only obtain the convenience in research and development to realize technical breakthrough, but also the facilitation in local policy support for investment.

 

 

Relevance – Capacity Building:How will the project build the capacity of APEC member economies.

 

1. A.   The project will play a demonstration role in promoting food safety and sustainability and economic growth in the APEC member economies, especially in the underdeveloped areas with agricultural regional features.

Under the project, the sustainable agriculture development will get promoted and animal and plant pests and diseases issue are on prevention and control; food productivity steadily improves and agriculture production is to achieve sustainable growth.

With more agricultural information and technical assistance, small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples and family farmers, will get more income in the agriculture production.

This cooperation is vital for the government to drive the nation’s economy, eliminate hunger and poverty as well as to reduce inequality.

 

1. B.   It can also build equal cooperation capacity, since the project is not merely an assistance project:
   1. C.   The supporter companies and institutes from the economies with high agrotechnology will acquire subsidy and policy support together with concessional tax deduction, which are beneficial for the cross-regional R&D and technical breakthrough. Combined with the IUR collaboration, the APEC member economies engaging in the project will strengthen the cooperation capacity in agriculture, technology and trade.

 

1. Objectives: State the overall objective of the project in 100 words or less.

 

The objective is to build up the capacity of participants through improving the agricultural innovation and coping with challenges facing agriculture to contribute to food security, food sustainability, economic growth and social well-being. It could promote more technological progress for both developed and underdeveloped economies and better support the Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030 and ATCWG Strategic Plan (2021–2025), and propose recommendations for further collaboration to address the APEC-wide issue of open, connect and balance in agriculture and development.

 

 

1. Alignment-APEC: Describe specific APEC priorities, goals, strategies, and/ or statements that the project supports, and explain how the project will contribute to their achievement.

 

1. A.   “One of APEC's specific objectives is to enhance cooperation and thereby reduce the disparities among member economies” (APEC Agenda for Science and Technology Industry Cooperation into the 21st Century)

First, the project is a win-win cooperation rather than just an assistance program: the supporter companies acquire technology breakthrough, concessional tax deductions and broader overseas market. Therefore, it will enhance cooperation.

Second, the project will improve the level of agricultural science and technology and strengthen the agricultural sustainable development in the underdeveloped economies, contributing to the economic growth. Aligning its activities with the APEC 2022 Thailand theme “Open. Connect. Balance.”, hence, the project will reduce the disparities among member economies and help develop an inclusive and sustainable APEC region.

 

1. B.   APEC is committed to helping each other achieve food security; growing our productivity and levels of economic development. (The Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030)

The project is to be done through cross-regional cooperation among the local governments, agricultural producers, companies and institutes from different economies, which unite together to seek for the solutions to present agricultural problems. Therefore, under the Roadmap 2030 framework, with the progress of sustainable and smart agriculture, all the participants work together to deliver food security.

 

 

 

SECTION B:  Project Impact

 

1. Outputs:Using a numbered list in chronological sequence, identify the key products or services that will happen during the implementation of your project in support of the outcomes. This may include workshops, reports, analytical inputs, research work, recommendations, best practice guidelines, action plans, websites etc. Be brief but describe key parameters, like purpose, duration, location, expected scope and scale, timelines etc.

 

1. 1.     Cooperation Area Construction
   1. International Associated Labs

Construction Period: 2023.1-2026.12;

Focus: to cooperate with worldwide top universities and colleges in four pilot cities;

1. International Research Centers

Construction Period: 2023.1-2026.12;

Focus: to cooperate with the supporter companies and institutes.

 

1. 2.     Policy Services
   1. Innovation and Technology

Construction Period: 2023.1-2027.1; Duration: from 2027.1;

Focus: to enhance building of basic innovation capacity; to support the development of major technological infrastructure facilities, R&D institutes as well as innovation platforms;

1. Transportation and Logistics

Construction Period: 2023.1-2026.12; Duration: from 2027.1;

Focus: to strengthen infrastructural development, enhance external and internal connectivity, and take forward the establishment of an infrastructural network with a rational layout, comprehensive functions, smooth connections and efficient operations;

1. Financial Service

Construction Period: 2024.1-2026.12; Duration: from 2027.1;

Focus: to fully leverage the roles of capital markets and financial services of pilot cities and join hands in developing a diversified, international and cross-regional system for innovation and technology investment and financing;

1. Training Program

Construction Period: 2025.1-2027.12; Duration: from 2027.12;

Focus: to support the area in establishing a training base for agricultural producers, especially the small-scale food producers, proficient in farming and producing; to leverage the experiences and strengths of the advanced economies in training and education in agriculture.

 

1. Outcomes: Using a numbered list, describe the specific impacts, changes or benefits that the project is expected to deliver, which directly support the project objective (above). These include changes in policy, processes, or behavior in the participating institutions, or in APEC more broadly. Be sure that each outcome can be measured and is a direct result of the project.

 

1. 1.     Cooperation Area

International Associated Labs & International Research Centers

Outcomes: the project will form partnership with top universities, colleges, institutes, and participating companies from the advanced economies; these universities and colleges are able to expand the global fluence; the companies have chances to tackle the technical issues and increase the added value of products by means of agricultural innovation; with the in-depth integration of industries, universities, and research and develop a system of technological innovation is to be built up primarily by enterprises, led by market forces and with support enterprises, higher education institutions and R&D institutes in jointly developing quality collaborative platforms for coordinated innovation, and promote the wide application of agricultural technological achievements among the APEC member economies.

 

1. 2.     Policy Services
   1. Innovation and Technology

Outcomes: this policy service will accelerate the development of major technological infrastructure facilities and agricultural experiment platforms in Cooperation Area, and focus on raising the standards of basic research. Optimizing the allocation of resources for innovation, this service will develop and nurture a batch of platforms for technological innovation for agriculture, international associated labs and international research centers. As a consequence, issues on disaster risk reduction, plant pests and diseases, land degradation and biodiversity challenge are to be tackled step by step, in support of sustainable development in agriculture and ensuring people’s well-being.

 

1. Transportation and Logistics

Outcomes: a rapid transport network is to be built, mainly involving high-speed rails, inter-city railway links and high-grade motorways, which is strived for reducing travelling time among the four major cities within the Cooperation Area to one hour or less; this policy service will raise the standards and capacity of produce and cargo transport and pursue an innovative integrated application of information technology, such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing and big data, in the field of transport; with 48% international marine trade through Indonesia’s sea areas, the improvement and upgrade of transportation and logistics will consolidate Indonesia’s status on marine transport, consequently, enhancing connectivity and facilitating the marine trade among these related economies.

 

1. Financial Service

Outcomes: financial support policy plays a role in facilitating local residents, especially youngsters and students graduating from colleges and universities, to live and work in the four cities, and expand the scope for their employment and entrepreneurship; it is advised to utilize the financial service to encourage local residents and external personnel who are proficient in production and business concerning agriculture to take up positions at state enterprises/agencies in accordance with the law; more concessional tax deduction proposals to SMEs will come into effect for agricultural innovation; the related financial measures help expand exports and attract foreign investment, from which more economies will benefit.

 

1. Training Program

Outcomes: a training base for agricultural producers, especially the small-scale food producers, is to be implemented at the end of 2027; according to the prediction, the local agricultural producers’ level of agricultural knowledge will increase by 10% by the end of 2030, and 20% in 2037.

 

1. Beneficiaries: Who are the direct project participants and users of the outputs? Describe their qualifications, level of expertise, roles/level of responsibility, gender, economies represented, government departments, APEC fora involvement etc. Explain how they will use and benefit from the project. Who else will benefit from the project and how?

Food producers: in most developing economies, the productivity of small-scale producers is systematically lower, on average, than of the large food producers. With more agricultural information and technical assistance, the local small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples and family farmers, will have access to double the productivity and incomes; for the larger food producers, the Cooperation Area will facilitate food trade and lead to the increase of produce’s adding value.

 

Agricultural production: early risk warning systems and adversity adjustment will get implemented after the further research, promoting the production resilience and improving capacity to respond to food and agricultural threats and emergencies; the sustainable agriculture development gets promoted; animal and plant pests and diseases issue are on prevention and control; food productivity steadily improves and agriculture production achieves sustainable growth; therefore, as the third largest paddy producing country with 54.42 million tons in 2021, Indonesia will double agricultural productivity, improve value chain development and competitiveness and make more contribution to the global food storage, food security, and the goals to eliminate hunger and poverty and reduce inequality.

 

Participating economies:

Innovation and Technology: joint progress is to be made in technology and economy; by means of the regional strengths of Java Island, the support companies and institutes from the APEC member economies are able to surmount the regional barriers in the course of R&D, actualizing agrotechnology breakthrough; the companies will acquire tax deductions and investment introduction policies to work with local industries and multinational corporations; the institutes, universities and colleges can expand international influence and enhance capacity of research;

Transportation and Logistics: the cooperation between Indonesia and the support economies will be strengthened during the construction of rapid transport network, enhancing connectivity and the people-to-people and cultural exchange as well as bilateral friendship; the improvement of the marine trade will encourage the prosperity of international trade and cooperation.

 

1. Gender: What steps will the project take to ensure the participation and engagement of both men and women in project activities? How do the project outcomes and the project objective benefit women?

 

The SDGs indicators show that the households led by male possess higher productivity than the ones led by female. However, the wisdom and strength of female producers is a basis for carrying out agricultural work. To deal with the difficulties of young female farmers, the local government will further stimulate their inner vitality and initiative in the project. In practice, on the one hand, in the process of promoting the connection between small-scale producers and the modernization of agriculture, the local governments will pay special attention to strengthening the training program service to female producers. The development of various agricultural socialized services, such as technical training program, financial service and market service, should be carried out with gender awareness, where female farmers can truly benefit and the productivity of young female farmers can be played to a large extent. On the other hand, during the infrastructure construction, the pilot cities will not merely focus on constructing an agrotechnology zone but forging a social cultural and public space for more diversified urban and rural residents, especially culture facilities suitable for young women that meet the demands of female producers’ diversified development, to realize their own value. Only in this way can young women gain personal promotion meanwhile involving deeper into agricultural modernization and sustainable development.

SECTION C:  Project Effectiveness

 

1. Work plan:Produce a project plan in a table with three columns titled ‘Time’, ‘Tasks’ and ‘Deliverables’ which indicate timelines, outputs and activities, and supporting tasks. Ensure you include: a. Creation of items like agenda, participant lists, project reporting and evaluations; b. How other economies and other parties (like contractors) will be involved; c. Procurement steps, contractor related milestones and deliverables.

 

 

Plan Table 1
Time	Tasks			Deliverables
Expected Construction Period	Pilot Cities	International Associated Labs	International Research Centers	To form partnership with top universities, colleges, institutes, and participating companies from the advanced economies
2023.1-2026.12	Jakarta	4	3
2023.1-2026.1	Surabaya	3	2
2023.1-2026.1	Bandung	3	2
2023.1-2025.1	Yogyakarta	2	1
Evaluation: The amount of the participating companies and institutes; The amount of newly built associated labs and research centers, research projects, findings and output.

 

 

Plan Table 2
Time	Tasks	Deliverables
Expected Construction Period	Policy Services	To provide policy support for the stakeholders to maximize the function of the Cooperation Area	Cooperation Intention
2023.1-2027.1	Innovation and Technology*		USA, NZ, PRC, JP, etc.
2023.1-2026.12	Transportation and Logistics		PRC, SG, etc.
2024.1-2026.12	Financial Service		PRC, SG, JP, USA, etc.
2025.1-2027.12	Training Program		PRC, IN, MY, TH, etc.
The Principle of Cooperation: —To achieve a win-win progress through complementary cooperation. —To prioritize capacity of agriculture and pursue sustainable development. —To be guided by connection and driven by innovation.
Evaluation: The amount of the participating companies and individuals; The variation of the food production output and small-scale food producers’ income.

 

 

 

1. Risks:What risks could impact project implementation and how will they be managed?

 

1. A.    System Issue: to make reasonable use of the legislative powers; to speed up the establishment of a legal system that is commensurate with the development of an open and collaborative economy; to deepen reform of innovation systems and mechanisms.
2. B.   Insufficient Investment in Agricultural Research: to intensity the strength of investment, optimize the investment structure, and promote investment facilitation.
3. C.   Energy Supply and Water Resources: to vigorously carry out structural reform in the energy sector, and improve the energy structure and network; to improve water infrastructure; to vigorously pursue works projects for saving and conserving water such as the utilisation of rainwater and floodwater resources.

 

1. Budget:Indicate the approximate expenses of the project (USD). The budget should include calculation assumptions (e.g., unit costs).

 

 

Pilot Cities	International Associated Labs	International Research Centers	Estimated Budget (USD)	Unit Costs*
Jakarta	4	3	1,500,000	214,286
Surabaya	3	2	1,000,000	200,000
Bandung	3	2	1,000,000	200,000
Yogyakarta	2	1	500,000	166,667
Total	12	8	4,000,000	200,000
*Unit Costs refers to the costs allocated to a selected unit and commonly calculated as the cost over a period of time divided by the number of items produced (items: the international associated labs or international research centers).

 

 

Policy Services	Estimated Budget (USD)
Innovation and Technology	5,000,000*
Transportation and Logistics	1,000,000
Financial Service	1,000,000
Training Program	500,000
Total	7,500,000
The estimated budget of Innovation and Technology includes the budget of the international associated labs and research centers.