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Scaling Sustainable Rice Farming And Nutrition-focused Resilience In Asia-pacific: A Cop29 Call To Action

20 November 2024, Azerbaijan: During the first week of COP29, the urgency to address agriculture’s role in climate resilience and food security has never been clearer. The Asia-Pacific region, home to some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable populations, is at the forefront of this challenge. Climate change, water scarcity, and political conflicts threaten food security, disrupt livelihoods, and exacerbate nutritional deficiencies across the region. At the multistakeholder COP29 panel discussion hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and moderated by IRRI Director General Dr. Yvonne Pinto, ADB’s $14 billion food security commitment and the emerging partnerships that reflect the urgency of fostering sustainable and inclusive agricultural systems were highlighted, paving the way for bold and transformative innovations that align with the conference’s agenda to advance sustainable agricultural practices, nutrition-focused interventions, and global resilience in the region.

ADB Senior Director for Agriculture, Food, Nature, and Rural Development Dr. Qingfeng Zhang pointed to the centrality of International Financial institutions (IFIs) in Asia-Pacific’s food systems and climate goals. “Moving forward, our focus is on three key priorities. First, we will shift from a production-based approach to demand-side interventions, with a strong emphasis on nutrition security. Second, we aim to advance smart agriculture, restore natural capital, and strengthen fisheries and agricultural systems while supporting food productivity, reducing food loss and waste, and promoting open trade. Finally, we will harness digital technology and champion inclusive agricultural policies to drive equitable and sustainable development.”

IFIs play a vital role in shaping global agricultural transformation. Their contributions span multiple areas, including policy dialogue, where they align incentives for farmers and private investors to prioritize climate resilience. In parallel, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Director for Agricultural Development Martien van Nieuwkoop highlighted context-specific and innovations-driven initiatives as natural spaces “where science meets finance” and where IFIs can address market failures and build systems that truly benefit farmers.

“When it comes to technological innovation, there is no universal solution or “Tesla car” that works in all conditions. Instead, solutions must be adapted to local contexts, which highlights the importance of bundling technologies into tailored packages. This is where initiatives like the new ADB-CGIAR Clearinghouse play a critical role,” noted van Nieuwkoop, adding that platforms that can integrate these bundled solutions and address multiple constraints simultaneously will be crucial in ensuring that they are practical, scalable, and impactful.

Supporting the concept behind the planned clearinghouse project, CGIAR Executive Managing Director Ismahane Elouafi stressed the urgency of partnerships that addresses gaps across sectors and called for increased investments in research and development (R&D) to avoid future costs of continued inaction. “On the technical side, access to innovation is not equally available to everyone. Many systems are fragmented, with gaps between academia and applied research, between applied research and development research, and a significant disconnect between all of these and the private sector. One of the key roles we are striving to fulfill through our partnership with the ADB and the clearinghouse is to bridge these gaps and bring all these sectors together,” said Elouafi.

Amidst all these, innovation and technology play a key role in reshaping farming practices. AI-driven weather forecasting is providing real-time, actionable insights for farmers, optimizing planting schedules and resource use. “AI tools are revolutionizing agriculture, enabling small-scale farmers to make data-driven decisions,” noted Michael Kremer, Director, Development Innovation Lab, University of Chicago.

Nutrition programming was also cited as an invaluable element of this transformation, addressing the broader health and resilience challenges linked to food security. Sarah LaHaye, Lead for Climate Action and Nutrition at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) underscored, “Nutrition is often an afterthought in climate and food security programming. It’s vital to intentionally integrate nutrition to ensure that crop diversification and resilience efforts also improve nutritional outcomes.” LaHaye cited GAIN programs in Indonesia, which tackled food loss and waste while addressing emissions and nutritional benefits, as a key example of how climate and nutrition goals can align effectively.

ADB Director General – Chief Compliance Officer for Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department Bruno Carrasco closed the session with a resounding call to action, “We must invest in science, innovation, and partnerships to address today’s challenges while building a food-secure future.”

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