THE NEW Indonesia-Australia Grains Value Chain Leadership Program is bringing 25 future leaders of the Indonesian grains industry to Australia to expand their business networks and develop their understanding and knowledge of the grains value chains in Indonesia and Australia.

Indonesian grains industry future leaders from across retail, food service, nutrition, technology, processing and flour milling have been selected to participate in the program.

Experiences for those involved in the program will include meeting Australian industry participants, and visiting farms in Queensland and Western Australia, receival sites, processing and manufacturing facilities, and research and development centres.

Participants will also undertake workshops and intensive training at the University of Queensland about the full grains value chain from farmer to transport, handling, milling, compliance and policy.

They will also attend this week’s Australian Grains Industry Conference in Melbourne where they will interact with many grains industry leaders and participants.

In addition to building deeper and more resilient industry partnerships in order to increase trade and investment, the program is focused on building the participants’ leadership skills and increasing their understanding of grains value chains, operations and future challenges.

Benefits of the program are expected to flow to downstream production in Indonesia, through industries such as noodle making, baking and stockfeed, which include small to medium enterprises that make up a large proportion of operations in Indonesia.

The 25 future leaders who are participating in the Indonesia-Australia Grains Value Chain Leadership Program this month are the first of three cohorts to undertake the course over coming years.

“Exporting grain, particularly wheat to Indonesia, is a significant agribusiness transaction for Australia with a 35-year history, and it is vital that we develop new and nurture existing networks and connections between the Indonesian and Australian grains and food industries,” Grains Australia chief executive officer Richard Simonaitis said.

“The Indonesia-Australia Grains Value Chain Leadership Program is an important way to deepen relationships and build broader networks between our partner countries and transfer knowledge and improve understanding in both directions.”

The Grains Value Chain Leadership Program is a collaboration between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade-funded IA-CEPA ECP Katalis and industry partners Grains Australia, the Indonesian Flour Milling Association (APTINDO) and the Indonesian Feedmills Association (GPMT).

The program is managed by Australia Awards in Indonesia and is being implemented by the University of Queensland.

Organisations involved include: the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre; the Grain Industry Association of Western Australia; CBH Group; the Grains Research & Development Corporation; GrainGrowers Limited, Grain Producers Australia, and the Stock Feed Manufacturers’ Council of Australia.