Over 2024, Katalis, with Australia Awards in Indonesia and Griffith University, is delivering a targeted Short Course Award for 20 Indonesian participants representing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the Government of Indonesia (GoI) to assist in improving product compliance for Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) and spices to enter the Australian market.

To date, participants have undertaken a pre- course workshop and a two-week field visit to Australia, where they met with a range of stakeholders in Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra. These stakeholders included the Minister for Agriculture Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities of Queensland, Biosecurity Australia, Food Safety Australia and New Zealand, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and several businesses.

The participants are now expected to conduct group projects that take the knowledge gained from their formal studies to review and refine their business and product to meet Australia’s standards and regulations. A post course workshop will be conducted in November 2024 to review these projects.