Rural Development and Food Security Forum 2019: Transformative Changes for Rural Prosperity and Nutritious Food

The Asia Pacific region has made significant progress in terms of reducing food insecurity. Despite the remarkable gains, the region is still faced with challenges such as the increasing demand, climate change, shrinking agriculture workforce, and unsustainable use of natural resources, among others. Promoting rural development is critical in helping solve food security issues and propelling economic development.

Pavit Ramachandran

Mr. Ramachandran serves as the Country Director at the Mongolia Resident Mission with the Asian Development Bank. He is responsible for overall country program, operational portfolio and knowledge management. Leads operations in Mongolia managing an active portfolio of around $2 billion. Supervises the implementation of the ADB's Country Operations Business Plan in line with the current Country Partnership Strategy, 2017-2020 and the next Country Partnership Strategy to be developed.

Mio Oka

Mio Oka is currently the Director of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Division in the South Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Since 2015, she has been responsible in administering several climate adaptation projects including flood and coastal management, water use efficiency, rural connectivity improvement and agriculture value chain projects in the following ADB developing member countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Jiangfeng Zhang

Jiangfeng Zhang is the Director of Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Division, Southeast Asia Department, concurrently Co-Chair, Environment Thematic Group, of Asian Development Bank (ADB). Since 2002 to date, he has been leading and supporting the development, design, and implementation of agriculture, natural resources, and rural development sector projects covering countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Central and West Asia.

Ahsan Tayyab

Ahsan was associated with ADB for over 26 years, with 11 years at the field offices in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. His working experience included developing and managing projects, primarily in agriculture and rural development in South Asia, South East Asia, and Central West Regions.

Earlier in his career, he worked with the United Nations Office for Project Services as a Portfolio Manager and was responsible for a range of rural development initiatives in Pakistan, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Philippines, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Cambodia

The lack of clean water has become a major problem for many rural people, especially in Cambodia, where rural households reach 2.5 million and total rural population number more than 11.5 million. More than half of the rural population practice open defecation and walk long distances to access water. Through a strategic and long-term partnership with ADB, Cambodia has gained ground in its efforts to provide improved access to water and sanitation.

Try Meng on Rural Water Supply and Sanitation in Cambodia

Many countries in Asia experience low access to water and sanitation services, especially in rural areas. Cambodia, through a long-term strategic partnership with ADB, has been able to achieve many wins in this front. It was able mobilize communities to manage community-based water supply and sanitation facilities, increase hygiene awareness, improve access to safe water, expand access to sanitation facilities, and improve the government's capacity to plan and facilitate provisions for quality water and sanitation services in target communities.