The APO Technical Expert Services (TES) Program engages specialists in a range of topics at the request of member countries for in-country consultancy. TES aims to boost national productivity by providing real-world solutions to problems and assisting member countries and National Productivity Organizations (NPO) in upgrading their technical knowledge and competencies through tailor-made, intensive interventions by experts on diverse productivity issues and challenges. TES projects were recently conducted for Mongolia, Pakistan, and Thailand.

In cooperation with the Mongolian Productivity Organization (MPO), a virtual in-country TES project on Business Continuity and Resilience for SMEs was held 13–15 December 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many SMEs and other businesses closed or nearly closed in Mongolia. Therefore, the MPO found it crucial to provide training to help SMEs stay productive and be prepared for disruptions. One of its new strategies for productivity improvement and promotion is to assist businesses in being more resilient. This TES project focused on providing skills and knowledge on the most effective productivity tools and techniques for SMEs to prepare for and cope with the pandemic or other external threats. It also provided guidance on developing strategies for SME business continuity, helped the MPO prepare training modules on business continuity, and increased public awareness of the need for productivity enhancement in the new normal. A total of 10 participants from the MPO participated, and two resource persons from Malaysia conducted the sessions.

TES project on Business Continuity and Resilience for SMEs

Another digital in-country TES capacity-building course on Heat-tolerant Wheat for Pakistan was organized with the NPO Pakistan, 15–22 December 2021. A total of 45 participants from the NPO and Wheat Research Institute, Faisalabad, participated in the sessions conducted by two resource persons from the USA and UK. Wheat is the major staple food crop of Pakistan, where estimated per capita consumption is about 124 kg/year. High temperature is a major problem for cropping systems in the country, with unexpected spatial and temporal variations causing reduced plant growth and productivity. To cope with this, the NPO and other institutions initiated a capacity-building program to share the latest know-how for enhancing wheat yield and productivity under the evolving climate scenario. The TES project aimed to create awareness among agriculturists and practitioners of changing climatic conditions and their effect on wheat production as well as to enhance wheat yield.

TES capacity-building course on Heat-tolerant Wheat for Pakistan

The Thailand Productivity Institute (FTPI) intends to conduct an impact assessment for the public sector as it is one channel that can incentivize productivity. The APO and FTPI organized a digital in-country TES workshop on Assessment of Socioeconomic Impacts of Government’s Operations, 29 November–3 December 2021. The program covered all aspects of social and economic impact assessment and evaluation for seven participants from the FTPI Research Department with the support of a resource person from Australia. The workshop developed the competency of participants in socioeconomic impact assessment to enable them to conduct future FTPI research on the topic.