Agriculture and Food Security

ADB scales up nature-based solutions and support for climate-smart agriculture across the entire agriculture and food value chains, including the blue economy.
ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa

ADB Plans $14 Billion to Ease Food Crisis

ADB announced plans to provide at least $14 billion over 2022-2025 in a comprehensive program of support to ease a worsening food crisis in Asia and the Pacific, and improve long-term food security by strengthening food systems against the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss.

The assistance expands ADB’s already significant support for food security in the region, where nearly 1.1 billion people lack healthy diets due to poverty and food prices which have soared to record highs in 2022.

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  •  

    Despite growing prosperity, hunger and malnutrition persist in Asia and the Pacific. Half of the world's 600 million hungry people live in the region.

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    Climate-related disasters and water stress are having severe adverse impacts on food production and supply across Asia and the Pacific.

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    Ensuring stable and affordable food supplies is central to keeping millions out of extreme poverty.

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  • Undernourished people in developing Asia

    Although hunger declined between 2001 and 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in developing Asia's undernourished population.

  • Agricultural losses from climate-related disasters

    Climate related disasters have had a severe impact on agriculture in Asia.

  • Food price inflation in developing Asia

    Regional food prices have risen steeply, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Our Impact

Results delivered in 2022 from ADB projects.

46.9 million

People benefiting from
increased rural investment

15,000

Farmers using quality farm inputs
and sustainable mechanization

194,000 hectares

Land with higher productivity

Source:
2022 Development Effectiveness Review

Your Questions Answered

  • How must agriculture and food production respond to the challenges posed by climate change?

     

    In Asia, 75% of farmers are dependent on agriculture. Climate change is projected to reduce crop productivity by 15% to 20% (or even 50% in some crops) by 2050 in the business-as-usual scenario.

  • Are there any proven strategies to minimize food price volatility in the region?

     

    Aside from exempting food supply chains from mobility restrictions and providing short-term financing, ADB also advocates for open trade and the availability of systems and processes to ensure transparency of information on food availability.

  • By 2030, regional demand for water is set to exceed supply by nearly 40%, what needs to be done to reduce this huge gap?

     

    ADB promotes the efficient use of water resources to help increase the climate resilience of agri-food systems. As of 2021, irrigation ($2 billion), water-based natural resources management ($1 billion), and rural flood protection ($477 million) are among ADB’s top investments in agriculture and natural resources.

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What's New

Experts

Qingfeng Zhang
Qingfeng Zhang

Chief of Rural Development and Food Security (Agriculture) Thematic Group

By Department

Yasmin Siddiqi
Yasmin Siddiqi

Director, Central and West Asia Department

Thomas Panella
Thomas Panella

Director, East Asia Department

Mio Oka
Mio Oka

Director, South Asia Department

Jiangfeng Zhang
Jiangfeng Zhang

Director, Southeast Asia Department

Mukhtor Khamudkhanov
Mukhtor Khamudkhanov

Director, Pacific Department

Martin Lemoine
Martin Lemoine

Principal Investment Specialist and Head, Agribusiness Investment Team

Contact

  Email the Rural Development and Food Security (Agriculture) Thematic Group