ADB-IFAD International Conference: Harnessing Digital Technologies and Experiences to Accelerate Agricultural and Rural Development in Asia and the Pacific

Digital innovations are already contributing to solve several challenges facing agriculture and rural economy. The future potential for such technologies to promote sustainable economic growth in agriculture has also been noted by numerous development agencies and researchers.

Study Tour on Exploring Opportunities to Promote Korean Experiences in Digital Agriculture and Rural Development Among ADB Member Countries

ADB and MAFRA organized a study tour on 24-30 November 2022 in Seoul and other cities to identify good practices in Korea’s digital agriculture applications and explore potential integration in project development and policy reforms. The participants visited four cooperatives, a food distribution center for school feeding programs, Korea’s Rural Development Administration, a strawberry smart farm, and two start-up companies.

Glenn Baticados

Glenn Navarra Baticados is a professor, mentor, innovation champion, and startup founder. He is a passionate advocate of evidence-based entrepreneurship and inclusive agribusiness for more than 25 years. He is a pioneer mentor of GoNegosyo and for the ASEAN Mentors Network (AMEN). He is a well-sought mentor and speaker on entrepreneurship, business, and innovation. He also served as Director of the UPLB Technology Transfer and Business Development Office from 2015 to 2021 transforming the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem of UPLB.

Eriyatno Soekirman

Dr. Eriyatno is an agricultural and system engineer, has degree M.Sc and Ph.d from Michigan State University. He is Professor and Senior Researcher at Bogor Agricultural University – Indonesia. His expertise is in Policy Studies and Technology Transfer. At present, he is the President Director of the Center of System, an international consultant agency with extensive R & D experience including with ASEAN, ADB, World Bank and FAO. Formerly, he was Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Cooperative and SME, and Head of Regional Bureau at the National Planning Agency.

Jang Heo

Dr. Jang Heo (Ph.D. in Sociology) got his bachelor and master degrees at the Seoul National University majoring in sociology. After spending several years as junior researcher at the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), Seoul, Korea, he studied environmental sociology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, U.S., and got the doctoral degree in December 1997. Returning back to the KREI, he has implemented researches and published many research papers on social change and welfare of rural areas of Korea and sustainable agricultural policy.