One of the issues highlighted in the 2016 Food Security Forum was the need to improve market linkages and supply chain through the development of wholesale markets. ADB has approved Technical Assistance (TA) 9218: Investment Assessment and Application of High-Level Technology for Food Security in Asia and the Pacific to develop customized wholesale market models in selected developing member countries (DMCs) and train the government officials on the development and operations of these markets. This TA supports the participation of government officials from selected DMCs in this training program.

In 2017, ADB organized a training program in Spain for government officials from Viet Nam, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Nepal. This training enabled participants to (a) find out how wholesale markets were efficiently and effectively implemented; (b) identify issues, challenges and requirements; and (c) interact with participating government officials in Spain to explore ways on how the learnings of this training program can be applied in their respective countries. The learning from this training led to the design of wholesale market projects in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The Govemment of Pakistan also expressed interest to develop a wholesale market in Lahore.

To train more government officials from Pakistan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, which have good potential for wholesale market, ADB organized a similar training program on 24-28 June 2019. This co-learninq proqram helped maximize knowledqe sharing and learning between and among ADB staff and DMC counterparts.