When the Soy Excellence Center (SEC) Asia launched five years ago, it set out to support one of the world’s most diverse and fast‑growing food and agriculture regions. The Center began with four learning tracks, designed to address the immediate knowledge gaps and needs of early- to mid-career professionals across multiple sectors. Since then, SEC Asia has steadily expanded its offerings to six learning tracks, including workshops and community events, reflecting the region’s evolving priorities and the growing demand for practical, industry‑relevant skills.
A Region Connected Through Learning
Asia’s diversity — from large‑scale aquaculture hubs to smallholder livestock farms and rapidly growing soy foods markets — has shaped SEC Asia’s approach from the beginning. Over the past five years, the Center has brought together participants from nine countries, creating a shared space for technical exchange across borders, production systems, and experience levels.
A major part of this growth has come from SEC Asia’s online continuous learning community. What began as a connected group of learners has grown into a regional network of close to 1,200 community members, representing a 35% increase since its launch. The community has become a central part of the SEC Asia experience, giving learners a place to ask questions, share challenges, and stay connected with smes and peers, long after completing their courses.
“Asia’s strength is its diversity, and our community reflects that,” said Sherry Chen, SEC Asia Center Lead. “Learners bring different backgrounds, different production realities, and different goals — and that exchange is what makes this community so valuable.”
Learning That Evolves With Industry Needs
SEC Asia’s offerings have grown steadily each year, shaped by feedback from learners, SMEs, and industry partners. SEC learning tracks development is guided by the Global Advisory Panel and Regional Advisory Councils, whose insights help ensure SEC Asia’s offerings remain relevant, practical, and aligned with industry needs. Their guidance, together with the commitment of U.S. soy farmers, has strengthened SEC Asia’s ability to bridge critical skills gaps and support Asia’s rising demand for high‑quality protein.
Workshops, virtual masterclasses, and industry roundtables complement the online curriculum, giving learners opportunities to engage directly with technical experts and apply new skills in practical settings. Partnerships with universities, feed associations, and private sector organizations have helped ensure that learning remains grounded in real‑world needs.
A Platform for the Region’s Future
As Asia’s food and agriculture sectors continue to expand, SEC Asia is entering its next phase with a stronger focus on industry‑aligned learning and long‑term workforce development. Building on five years of regional engagement, the Center aims to work more closely with companies to help them see SEC not only as a knowledge platform, but as a practical development pathway for their staff and future leaders.
This next phase will focus on strengthening partnerships with industry, mapping clearer learning and progression pathways for SEC community members, and helping companies connect technical learning with workplace application. At the heart of SEC Asia’s work is the industry it serves: supporting professionals who can apply new skills in their roles, contribute to stronger production practices, improve food safety, and support more sustainable systems across the region.
This forward‑looking approach reflects the Center’s broader mission — equipping Asia’s workforce with the skills needed to meet rising demand for high‑quality protein and more resilient food systems, facilitated by U.S. Soy.
“SEC Asia has become an important platform for capability building across the region,” said Carlos Salinas, USSEC Executive Director – East Asia. “Its growth reflects the commitment of our partners and the determination of learners who are shaping the future of Asia’s food and agriculture sectors.”
Five years on, SEC Asia stands as a regional hub for learning, collaboration, and professional growth. With a strong community and an expanding portfolio of courses, the Center is well‑positioned to support the next generation of leaders driving Asia’s animal protein and soy value chains forward.
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