Rural Prosperity with Carbon Neutrality and Food Security Read more about Rural Prosperity with Carbon Neutrality and Food Security Rural regions have the advantage of not only having the space for solar and wind energy production - which are low-carbon electricity technologies - but also have the potential to generate carbon neutral bioenergy. This scenario sets the opportunity on leading the process towards carbon neutrality. However, rural carbon neutrality does have implications for food security as food-land-nexus complicates the interactions.
Financing Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems in Asia and the Pacific Read more about Financing Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems in Asia and the Pacific
Publication Launch Read more about Publication Launch The knowledge products prepared in partnership with IFPRI, IRRI, and Mercasa will help stakeholders understand the issues facing the rural development and food security sector.
Closing Session Read more about Closing Session This session highlighted the opportunities for transformative changes in rural development and food security; how ADB's approach will adjust in the next 5 to 10 years; and how the technical revolution will affect farmer's access to financing.
Voices from the Field: Youth Perspectives Read more about Voices from the Field: Youth Perspectives Youth and youth representatives present their views about farming and employment in rural areas. They share their aspirations and experiences to explain (i) what hindrances they face in taking up farming full-time, and (ii) what other nonfarm employment opportunities can be developed in rural areas.
Financing Agripreneurs and Rural Small and Medium-size Enterprise Read more about Financing Agripreneurs and Rural Small and Medium-size Enterprise Discussion in this session focuses on innovative financing mechanisms, including emerging ICT platforms and fintech, to extend credit and banking services to small and dispersed borrowers, i.e., agripreneurs and SMEs for farm and nonfarm operations in rural areas. The panelists explore how they see the future and what is required from the public sector in terms of enabling policies and creating a level playing field to foster and expand pro-farmer smart financing options and opportunities.
Rural Distress Read more about Rural Distress This session highlights the imbalance in rural–urban development and its significant negative impacts on national economic growth, rural employment, food security and nutrition, and urbanization. Good examples of rural revitalization will show that well-developed rural areas can play a vital role in wider economic development and generating good jobs for the youth. Specific recommendations regarding green and blue investments were discussed.
Closing Remarks Read more about Closing Remarks [Session Summary] [Closing Video] Woochong Um, Director General for Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, ADB, stressed the importance of focusing on smallholders, investing in infrastructure, and working with governments to create an enabling environment for rural development and food security.
Kundhavi Kadiresan Keywords agriculture food security rural development Read more about Kundhavi Kadiresan Kundhavi Kadiresan, who holds a PhD in Economics and an MA in International Business, is Assistant Director-General and FAO’s Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific. She has more than 25 years of managerial experience in economic and policy development. Kadiresan, an economist, has spent most of her professional career with the World Bank Group. She has worked in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America, where she led senior-level policy dialogues and managed large loan portfolios.
Musdhalifa Machmud Keywords agriculture food security rural development Read more about Musdhalifa Machmud Musdhalifah Machmud is engaged as Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs, Republic of Indonesia. She manages for Food and Agriculture, including strategic policies which made by the Ministry. Her coordination and strategic policies includes rice, red meat, corn, soya bean, palm oil, cocoa, tea, rubber, sugarcane, biofuels, horticulture products, fertilizer, seeds, and other agriculture issues. Between 1988 and 2003, she served the Ministry of Forestry.