Tomoko Kato

Tomoko (Toko) Kato is a Senior Food and Nutrition Specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB). She has over a decade of experience mainstreaming nutrition into agriculture and rural development investments across Asia and the Pacific. Her work focuses on integrating nutrition into policies, programs, and financing mechanisms so that food systems deliver not only higher productivity but also healthier diets, improved livelihoods, and greater resilience.

Toko works closely with governments, development partners, and the private sector to advance nutrition-sensitive investments and food systems transformation across the region. She is particularly interested in linking agriculture, climate resilience, biodiversity, and human capital to improve food and nutrition security.

A passionate advocate for social inclusion and education, Toko believes that community-driven development is essential for sustainable impact. She champions approaches that place women, youth, and Indigenous communities at the center of food systems transformation, empowering them as agents of change for healthier diets and resilient communities.