Toward Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems in Asia and the Pacific

Yasuyuki Sawada emphasized that COVID-19 reversed the gain in food security, highlighting the need for developing Asia to build back the food system better to reduce hunger and malnutrition. He presented how digitalization and technology can facilitate a post-COVID-19 transition to resilient and efficient food supply chains through institutional and legislative forms and targeted support to poor and smallholder farmers. He also highlighted that digitalization can also help social protection programs for better food security.

Designed Elastic Components to Improve Life Cycle Costs of Track Superstructures

In this presentation, Mr. Dorfner shares Getzner's solutions to vibrations and structure-borne noise generated by railways, which have a detrimental effect on track superstructure components such as rails, sleepers, and ballasts. He also underscores the importance of introducing more elasticity into the railway superstructure to reduce maintenance outlay and life cycle costs.

Asia-Pacific Railway Innovations Forum 2019

The level of railway technology varies greatly throughout developing Asia and the Pacific but is often ancient in terms of railway infrastructures, systems, and rolling stock. New technologies in the digital sphere, from control systems to data gathering, create an immense opportunity, but at the same time, the agony of choice as countries must sort and prioritize which technologies are the most appropriate in their specific, national case.

Digital Revolutions in Taxation

Digitalization has vast potential for tax policy and revenue administration. Increased access to information, enhanced digital systems, and greater processing capabilities will allow for reductions in the cost of tax collection and compliance and lead to new tax policy options.

Based on the latest work of the International Monetary Fund’s Fiscal Affairs Department on digitalization revolutions in public finance, this presentation discusses implications of digitalization for tax policy and revenue administration, including the challenges for tax authorities.