Tokyo, Japan, December 13th, 2025 – With the support of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Mr. Amirrudin Bin Azmi, a Master of Science student from the Faculty of Forestry and Environment, successfully completed a short-term research attachment at Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI), Japan, funded under the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Student Mobility Grant.

Conducted from 27 November to 13 December 2025 under the supervision of Dr. Muhammad Heikal Ismail and hosted by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mami Irie, the attachment focused on the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in agri-food waste valorisation within a circular economy framework, while strengthening international exposure and collaboration between UPM and Tokyo NODAI as member institutions of the University Consortium (UC).

During the attachment, academic engagements and field visits were carried out at Tokyo NODAI laboratories, the mottECO Promotion Consortium, Tomizawa Farm, the Sagamihara Biogas Power Plant, and the Japan Food Ecology Center. These activities provided exposure to Japan’s certified food recycling systems, behavioural change initiatives for food waste reduction, compost-based soil improvement practices, and industrial-scale biogas and eco-feed production governed by the Food Waste Recycling Law.

The short research attachment strengthened empirical understanding of ESG-aligned circular economy practices and multi-stakeholder governance across the agri-food value chain. The insights gained will contribute to the student’s ongoing thesis research and support the development of policy-relevant recommendations for Malaysia and Southeast Asia, aligning with SEARCA’s mission to advance sustainable agricultural transformation through regional and international collaboration.

Tarikh Input: 31/12/2025 | Kemaskini: 31/12/2025 | adibbaharudin