News and Events

Agricultural and Rural Development for Reducing Poverty and Hunger in Asia: In Pursuit of Inclusive and Sustainable Growth

Despite recent progress, Asia continues to be home to two-thirds of the world's poor. As we look into the future, what role will agriculture and rural development play in alleviating poverty and hunger? What are the emerging challenges and opportunities for agriculture and rural non-farm activities on the livelihoods of the poor and hungry in this rapidly changing region?

This high-level policy forum organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will bring together key policymakers, development partners, and researchers from all over Asia to dialogue on these important issues.

Top

The policy forum aims to:

• facilitate focused exchange on the current situation with regards to poverty and hunger in rural Asia, and the challenges affecting the farm and non-farm economies.
• discuss strategies for rural growth including at the macro level - trade, foreign direct investment, market access, and institutional reforms; and at the micro level - technology adoption, improved natural resources management, and climate change adaptation.
• focus on investment priorities to promote rural inclusive growth, and donor harmonization.

Top

• Broader consensus on the role of agriculture and rural development in reaching and going beyond the poverty and hunger Millennium Development Goal, and in achieving inclusive and sustainable growth in Asia.
• Greater exchange of insights and experience between stakeholders on which strategies and actions to implement, scale up, and transform in order to reduce and end hunger and poverty.
• Improved design and implementation of strategies and actions through shared knowledge and information.

Top

Participation is by invitation only.

Invitees include about 70 leaders and stakeholders in the public sector, civil society, private sector, research, and academia from across ADB's developing member countries. IFPRI and ADB staff will also participate.

View the list of participants PDF [ 72kb | 11 pages] .

Top

The policy forum will be opened by Lawrence Greenwood, Vice President, Operations 2, ADB, and Ross Garnaut, IFRPI Board Chair and Professor of Economics, Australian National University.

More than 40 participants will give presentations, or act as chairs and panelists.

Top