Financing is key to promoting the implementation and adoption of innovations and technologies on-the-ground. This session will discuss innovative approaches to mobilize finances for smallholder farmers while emphasizing the role of multilateral development banks, public development banks, blended financing, and community-led financing, among others. Discussions will highlight natural capital financing, and knowledge sharing on green valuation, eco-compensation, and digitizing supply chains.

#RDFS2022

With the pace of global population growth and improvement of dietary habits in emerging countries, protein supply requirements in 2050 will be twice as much as they were in 2005. As a result, the supply of protein will be insufficient as early as 2030. Alternative protein sources – such as plant-based, microbial-based and edible insects – are “eco-friendly” protein sources, offering potential solutions to the global problem of food shortage, over-farming, and depletion of natural resources.

One size does not fit all when addressing the double burden of malnutrition. Cross-sectoral approaches are needed but difficult to implement. This session will present on-the-ground experiences, lessons learned, and case studies on best practices to collectively work together on what can be done in terms of policy interventions, regulations, financing, food production innovations, and others to promote nutrition security.

#RDFS2022

Climate change and resource-intensive agricultural practices are causing stress and risks to the environment, affecting food production and the value chains. The session will emphasize the benefits of climate-smart approaches and practices across the crop, fish, and livestock production considering nature-based solutions and the One Health approach. Discussions will focus on innovations, on-the-ground experiences, and lessons learned, including the feminization of agriculture and youth empowerment.

#RDFS2022

Urbanization has been rapidly increasing in Asia and the Pacific over the last two decades. With more people now living in cities, demand for food has become greater in urban areas. Urban farming presents an increasingly viable method of not only enhancing urban food security but also reducing the pressure on traditional agricultural land thereby contributing to a reduction in carbon footprint.

To avoid the middle-income trap, countries must move from a low-cost to a high-value economy. This development, however, has the potential to create disparities including urban-rural inequality. Reducing the rural-urban divide is critical for more inclusive growth and necessary for sustainable economic growth. Discussions highlight how a rural-urban integrated development can assume a multidimensional focus that is geared towards delivering well-being to rural dwellers which is comparable to that in urban areas.

#RDFS2022

ADB and its partners are organizing the Asia Pacific Rural Development and Food Security Forum on 22-24 March 2022. #RDFS2022 aims to discuss ideas on rethinking the future of agriculture amidst complex and evolving challenges; explore new research, innovations, and technologies that can help build nature-positive food systems; and forge partnerships and collaborations which will mobilize finance for innovation, research, and business in order to promote food and nutrition security in the Asia and Pacific region.

The COVID-19 pandemic promoted a surge in digital applications to agriculture, highlighting its potential to modernize agriculture and transform food systems. The session will focus on the role of digital technologies in transforming food systems to offer increased profits for farmers along the value chain. Discussions highlight requirements to make the digitalization of agriculture happen such as policy interventions, public-private partnerships, financing, infrastructure development, and capacity development, among others.

#RDFS2022