Series: ADB Sustainable Food Webinar Series Policy Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic for Food Security in Asia and the Pacific 26 August 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the fragility of food systems in the Asia and Pacific region. International food prices have been rising since May 2020, recording 12 consecutive monthly rises since September 2011, bringing the Index only 7.6 percent below its peak value in February 2011. From the onset of the pandemic, many governments moved swiftly to keep agricultural supply chains functioning, including designating agriculture and food as an essential sector. While OECD countries were generally successful in maintaining the overall functioning of food supply chains, food insecurity risk increased in ADB’s developing member countries with estimates indicating the increase and prevalence of undernourishment in Asia from 7.9% to 9% between 2019 and 2020. Data also suggests that 42% of the population in the region cannot afford healthy diets. In Asia-Pacific, COVID-19 impacts and challenges translate into public health concerns, high environmental pressures and greenhouse gas emissions, persistent malnutrition, and growing inequality in food access. Overweight and obesity among adults and children are rapidly rising in Asia and the Pacific than in any other region. Part of the #ADBSustainableFood Webinar Series, the webinar discussed the challenges and desirable policy responses to ensure food security in Asia and the Pacific amidst the pandemic through food systems transformation. These discussions support knowledge exchange between and among ADB and OECD experts, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. The discussion clarified the major regional policy agenda to be discussed in the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021. This learning event is part of the ADB Sustainable Food Webinar Series that offers a platform to discuss, share knowledge and experiences, and find out solutions and best practices that can help developing members countries build sustainable and resilient food systems and enable them to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and future disruptions. Program and Learning Materials 26 August 2021 Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) Opening Remarks Opening Remarks Bruno Carrasco, Director General concurrently Chief Compliance Officer, SDCC, Asian Development Bank Remarks Remarks Marion Jansen, OECD Director for Trade and Agriculture Opening Remarks Rodolfo Vicerra, Under Secretary for Policy and Planning, Department of Agriculture, the Philippines Presentation 1 Lessons Learned from Policy Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Asia and the Pacific Jessica Fanzo Presentation 2 Findings from OECD’s Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2021 – Addressing the challenges facing food systems Jibran Punthakey Discussant Masao Matsumoto, Deputy Assistant Minister, Export and International Affairs, Bureau and Deputy Director-General, Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan Discussant Fermin Adriano, Special Adviser to the Secretary of Agriculture, the Philippines Discussant Kieran Macdonell, Australia’s representative to the OECD on Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Australia Discussant Choi-Ish Lkhasuren, Director General, Department of Food Industry Policy Coordination and Implementation, Ministry of Agriculture and Light Industry, Mongolia Discussant Kevin Chen, Qushi Chair Professor and International Dean, Senior Research Fellow and Head of East and Central Asia Office, IFPRIChina Academy for Rural Development, Zhejiang University Closing Remarks Xiaohong Yang, Chief Thematic Officer, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, ADB Closing Remarks Martin von Lampe, Head of Policy Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, Agriculture and Resource Policies Division, OECD Disclaimer The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Event Coordinator/s Qingfeng Zhang Shingo Kimura Leah Arboleda Related Full Agenda ADB Organizer/s Agriculture, Food, Nature, and Rural Development Sector Office Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department Read Also ADB Sustainable Food Webinar Series ADB's focus on agriculture and food security Partner Organization/s OECD: Agriculture and Fisheries Topics Agriculture and Natural Resources