Asia and the Pacific underwent a rapid transition in diet and nutritional patterns due to ongoing shifts in economic conditions, urbanization, and global interconnectedness.

Unfortunately, this transformation was accompanied by intricate nutritional failures among the population: childhood undernutrition, escalating obesity, noncommunicable disease prevalence, and micronutrient deficiencies affecting diverse age groups. The worsening picture of nutrition called for a transformative change in the current food and agriculture scenario. As a proactive measure, we explored the potential future challenges and opportunities for nutritional security in Asia and the Pacific.

The Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) announced a call for research papers on “Nutritional Security in Asia and the Pacific: Challenges and Opportunities.” Based on the editorial committee’s review, corresponding authors of the selected papers were invited to present at this session.

This virtual conference explored food and nutritional security development, gaps, and opportunities for policy collaboration in Asia and the Pacific. It drew upon research examining country-level experiences, lessons learned, and possible next steps.