Full Agenda
* All times are local Manila time (UTC+8)
The signing ceremony aims to crystalize the partnership between the ADB, FAO, and the Department of Agriculture in progressing private investment in food systems in the Philippines.
Ceremony for collaboration between Government of the Philippines, through the Department of Agriculture, FAO, and ADB for the 2026 National Investment Forum
The Marketplace features the latest research, innovations, and products that can support the next phase of ADB’s Food Systems Transformation agenda.
Introduction and Welcome by Host / Moderator
Navin K. Twarakavi, Senior Sector Planning Specialist, ADB
Welcome Remarks
Isabel Chatterton, Director General, PSOD, ADB
Opening Remarks
Winfried F. Wicklein, Director General, SD2, ADB
The roundtable discussion aims to bring together key development partners for an open and collaborative dialogue focused on sharing insights, aligning priorities, and exploring opportunities for stronger partnerships. Through guided discussions, the roundtable encourages knowledge exchange, addresses common challenges, and identifies actionable strategies to enhance coordination and impact across ongoing and future initiatives.
Emcee: Tushna Dora, Senior Investment Specialist, AIT-PSOD, ADB
This session aims to support ADB’s shift from crisis response to long‑term food systems transformation under the $40 billion agenda by identifying country readiness gaps, prioritizing actions to strengthen policy and institutional capacity, advancing programmatic and policy‑based approaches, aligning public and private partners, scaling nature‑positive and nutrition‑sensitive investments, enhancing SME financing, and accelerating country engagement and pipeline development.
Moderator: Stefania Dina, Country Director, Timor-Leste, ADB
Moderator: Anna Oposa, Co-Founder, Save Philippine Seas
Signing of the ADB-World Food Programme Cooperation Agreement
Signing of the Amendment to the ADB-Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan Memorandum of Cooperation
This session aims to strengthen science‑to‑policy pathways by integrating research on rice, livestock, aquatic systems, and One Health into ADB’s programming and project design, identifying opportunities for joint flagship initiatives under ADB’s $40 billion food systems agenda and establishing practical mechanisms for long‑term coordination—including joint working groups and shared data platforms—and aligning partners around a unified, science‑based vision for transforming food systems toward nutrition, climate resilience, and nature‑positive outcomes across Asia and the Pacific.
Brief Introduction on the National Investment Forum (NIF)
Eric Quincieu, Principal Water Resources Specialist, Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Office, Sectors Department 2, ADB
Keynote Message
- Abunawas Maslamama, MAFAR Minister
- Lionel Dabbadie, FAO Representative
Signing of the NIF Document
This session will present ASEAN’s strategy for transforming food systems and guide support from ADB and development partners. It will highlight evidence, country experiences, and investment pathways that turn regional commitments into scalable action. The discussion will focus on aligning priorities, mobilizing finance, and strengthening cross‑sector collaboration for resilient and nutrition‑sensitive agrifood systems.
Welcome Remarks
Winfried Wicklein, Director General, Sectors Department 2, ADB
This session aims to discuss establishing river basin systems as foundations for food security, climate resilience, natural capital, and economic stability by framing scientific risks and value creation opportunities across integrated basin systems; clarifying macroeconomic stakes; exploring governance and cooperation on energy, water infrastructure, and basin management; identifying financing and resilience pathways; developing a shared mission-oriented vision for Asia’s Resilient River Basins; and defining the roles of ADB, international financing institutions, regional bodies, and knowle
This session discusses how science‑based solutions, paired with policy reforms, public investment, blended finance, and other de-risking tools, can strengthen climate‑resilient agri‑food investments and crowd in private capital through coordinated public–private action. It will also introduce the ADB–CGIAR Clearinghouse Facility as an operational platform that converts scientific and technical innovations into investment-ready inputs for sovereign and non‑sovereign projects.
Opening Remarks
Máximo Torero, Chief Economist, FAO
This ADB–JMAFF Joint Session will highlight fair nutrition as a cross‑cutting agricultural priority by showcasing Japan’s innovative food‑related companies and demonstrating how integrated approaches, partnerships, and coordinated support can scale nutrition solutions into sustainable agrifood businesses across Asia and the Pacific.
Opening Remarks
Yoichi Watanabe, Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Government of Japan
This session provides a platform for public and private sector colleagues to virtually showcase their latest research, innovations, and products that can support the next phase of ADB’s Food Systems Transformation agenda.
Introduction and Welcome
Navin Twarakavi, Senior Sector Planning Specialist, ADB
Presentations
The session brings together ASEAN youth leaders to advance sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food systems that promote food security and healthier diets across the region by providing a safe, participatory space to share insights, co‑create an ASEAN Youth Pledge, spotlight youth‑led initiatives in agriculture, nutrition, and climate action, and strengthen cross‑border networks to inspire sustained youth leadership, advocacy, and collective action beyond consultation.
Moderators:
The session will showcase best practices and lessons from ADB’s Yangtze and Yellow River basin programs, demonstrating how natural capital approaches can drive the transformation of food systems. It will also provide a platform for sharing perspectives, discussing key challenges and opportunities, and identifying avenues for replication and knowledge exchange across the region.
Welcome
Muhammad Ehsan Khan, Director General, East Asia Department, ADB
The session will showcase Indonesia’s achievement of its food self-sufficiency and provide a platform to exchange knowledge and ideas on policies, programs, implementation models, innovations and that can sustain the achievement and further accelerate Indonesia’s food systems transformation.
Opening
Qingfeng Zhang, Senior Director, Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Office, Sector Department 2, ADB
Presentations
Moderator: Navin Twarakavi, Senior Sector Planning Specialist, ADB
Presentations
- Kazuhiro Gono, NISSIN Foods Holdings
- Sara Roversi, President, Future Food Institute
- Christian Fischer, YieldXperts & Onewater
- Mary Grace Gasco, Founder and CEO, SpaceCrop Technologies, Ltd.
The session will bring together multilateral institutions, development partners, and private investors to explore how knowledge partnerships and financing platforms can accelerate landscape-based food systems transformation across Asia and the Pacific.
Moderator: Xi Cao, Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Specialist, SD2-AFNR, ADB
Welcome Remarks and Setting the Context
Qingfeng Zhang, Senior Director, SD2-AFNR, ADB
Insights
To showcase Philippine biodiversity and culinary heritage through modern, nutrition‑forward and sustainable interpretations that elevate indigenous and underutilized ingredients, promote inclusive and resilient local value chains, and demonstrate the vital role of gastronomy in advancing nutrition‑sensitive food systems rooted in whole foods, traditional knowledge, biodiversity, and low‑waste practices.
Moderator: Anna Oposa, Co-Founder, Save Philippine Seas
Remarks
Chefs Showcase
(Track 1: Landscape Approaches for Resilient River Basins)
This session will present and discuss the planned analytical framework and explore how long-term modelling of water balance, crop production, and climate risks can inform basin planning, investment roadmaps, and financing strategies. By linking hydrological signals to economic consequences and policy choices, RRBI aims to support earlier, better-informed decisions that translate risk awareness into structured, finance-ready pathways for resilient river basin management.
(Track 3: Promoting Nutrition and Healthy Diets)
The session will introduce the Agrifood Systems Accelerator, outlining its operational model and demonstrating how national agrifood priorities can be translated into bankable actions through country examples and investment pathways. It will also highlight opportunities for DFI alignment and private‑sector engagement across Asia–Pacific while identifying next steps for Accelerator engagement and pipeline development for 2026–2027.
(Deep Dive Sessions and Meet with Experts)
(Track 4: Country Deep-Dive (Philippines and India) and Plant Health Showcase)
This hybrid event will explore strategies to address the climate–food–nature nexus, drawing on Bhutan’s leadership in sustainable development and its commitment to remaining carbon-negative. The forum will feature a keynote presentation, open discussions, and bilateral engagements aimed at accelerating solutions for climate resilience, food security, and nature conservation across Asia and the Pacific.
Introduction and Moderation
Susann Roth, Advisor, DOCK, Asian Development Bank
Co-moderators: Xiaoruo Jiang and Ruth Georget (FAO)
Panel Discussion 2
Theme: Modernizing Agricultural Logistics – Fixing the Physical and Regulatory Backbone
(Track 1: Landscape Approaches for Resilient River Basins)
(Track 3: Promoting Nutrition and Healthy Diets)
The session aims to position planet‑friendly school meals as a strategic food‑systems transformation investment platform by identifying structural barriers to scaling and proposing policy, market, and financing solutions. It also aims to demonstrate how regenerative agriculture and local procurement deliver nutrition, climate, and biodiversity co‑benefits while clarifying entry points for ADB engagement through policy dialogue, sovereign lending, trust funds, and blended finance.
(Deep Dive Sessions and Meet with Experts)
The session aims to identify complementarities and practical coordination mechanisms between FFMS and AgriConnect; and discuss how integrated logistics, policy actions and digital systems can enhance climate resilience and food market efficiency
Opening Remarks
Takafumi Kadono, ADB Papua New Guinea Country Director, Asian Development Bank (online)
Paavo Eliste, Practice Manager, World Bank
(Track 2: Natural Capital Dialogues)
This session introduces ADB’s Natural Capital Guidance Note and practical tools for integrating natural capital into development planning and operations. It also highlights innovative financing solutions and partnerships to scale nature‑positive investments across the region.
Setting the Stage
Moderator: Nathan Rive, Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Specialist, AFNR, SD2, ADB
- EDR - Speakers, DMCs, Exhibitors
- MFH 1, Haven - All other participants
- Podium - Support
- PDR 1 - ESF hosted lunch (President, by invitation)
(Track 2: Natural Capital Dialogues)
Session 1: Assessing and Integrating Natural Capital
Moderator: Anne Guerry, Co-Executive Director, Natural Capital Alliance, Stanford University
Case Studies: “Putting Natural Capital at the Heart of Development Planning”
Overview by Stanford
Case Studies: Philippines
Lormelyn E. Claudio, Director, ERDB, DENR
(Track 1: Landscape Approaches for Resilient River Basins)
This session will establish regional foundations for resilient river basins by defining key diagnostic needs, project preparation pathways, and priority assistance across the SEARRI pillars. It will also outline shared principles for long‑term basin sustainability and gather country‑specific examples to guide future SEARRI support and ASEAN engagement.
Introduction
Tianhao Zhang, Water Resources Specialist, SD2‑AFNR, ADB
(Track 3: Promoting Nutrition and Healthy Diets)
The session aims to strengthen participants’ understanding of how agriculture and food systems shape diet quality and to show how supportive food environments can encourage healthier eating. It will also offer simple strategies for improving daily food choices and inspire small, achievable nutrition‑related behavior changes.
Overall moderator:
Nizelle Sy-Constiniano, Senior Board Assistant, ADB-BOD
(Track 4: Country Deep-Dive [Philippines and India] and Plant Health Showcase)
This session aims to accelerate investment mobilization for India’s sustainable and inclusive growth by, strengthening public-private alignment and increasing private co-financing. Specifically, the session will generate actionable takeaways across three strategic pillars: Efficient Water Resources Management, Value Addition and Marketing for Agriculture, and Natural Capital Protection and Management.
This session highlights how private sector actors across the agrifood value chain—from seed production to retail—drive more efficient, sustainable, inclusive, resilient, and nutritious food systems. It will discuss how ADB supports agribusinesses by amplifying the perspectives of its private sector agribusiness clients and partners.
Opening Speech
Marife Apilado, Deputy Director General, Private Sector Operations Department (PSOD), ADB
The session highlights different financing instruments and delivery models, including grants, concessional finance, blended approaches, and private sector engagement. By drawing on country and operational perspectives, the discussion emphasizes lessons learned, implementation challenges, and pathways for scaling climate-resilient food system investments.
Overall facilitator: Giap Minh Bui, Principal Natural Resource and Agriculture Economist, SD2-AFNR, ADB
This session convenes stakeholders from the Innovate for Food and Nutrition Security Regional Program to review achievements, distill lessons learned, and chart next steps for advancing regenerative food systems across ASEAN. It will highlight results and scaling insights from innovation interventions, explore alignment with the ADB–CGIAR Clearinghouse, and identify opportunities for regional collaboration and ADB engagement to expand impact beyond 2026.
(Track 2: Natural Capital Dialogues)
Session 2: Enabling Environment for Natural Capital
Moderator: Au Shion Yee, Principal Water Resources Specialist, AFNR, SD2, ADB
Keynote presentation: “Building Policies, Institutions, and Regulations for Nature-Positive Investment”
Xiaoquan Zhang, Head, The Nature Conservancy China
Panel Discussion: “Scaling Investment in Nature: From Enabling Policy to Bankable Natural Capital”
(Track 2: Natural Capital Dialogues)
Session 3: Partnerships, Knowledge Sharing & Capacity Building
Moderator: Nathan Rive, Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Specialist, AFNR, SD2, ADB
Panel Discussion: “Partnerships for Nature: From Global Knowledge to Local Action”
Open discussion on ASEAN-CGIAR Regional Program Online Survey findings on partnering experience in Phase 1 and lessons for next phase
Moderator: Stephan Weise, Managing Director for Asia, Alliance of Bioversity CIAT
This session brings together stakeholders from Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Lao PDR, including members of the FST-Partnership, regional initiatives, and international networks, to review progress, reflect on lessons learned, and explore opportunities for collaboration to accelerate food systems transformation at national and sub-national levels.
Opening Remarks
Ron H. Slangen, Regional Head, Operations Coordination, Southeast Asia Department, ADB
Keynote presentations:
The session explores governance arrangements, incentives for collaboration, and the role of regional knowledge platforms and data-sharing mechanisms. By highlighting both national and regional cooperation, it positions G2F as not only a set of investments, but as a long-term system for adaptive learning, coordination, and resilience building.
Overall facilitator: Yaozhou Zhou, Principal Water Resources Specialist, SD2-AFNR, ADB
(Track 1: Landscape Approaches for Resilient River Basins)
This session aims to bring together DMC officials and development partners to identify what works, where constraints remain, and how ridge‑to‑reef approaches can unlock investment‑ready pipelines. It will focus on three investment domains—climate‑resilient landscapes, competitive food systems, and inclusive jobs—alongside the enabling conditions needed for scale.
Welcome
Fatima Yasmin, Vice-President (Sectors and Themes), ADB
(Track 3: Promoting Nutrition and Healthy Diets)
(Track 4: Country Deep-Dive (Philippines and India) and Plant Health Showcase)
The session highlights the critical role of horticulture plant health in transforming the sector’s prospects and demonstrates how quality control can be achieved by showcasing plant health management systems from the US, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. It illustrates how plant health governance systems in these countries have evolved over decades and presents perspectives from scientists, nursery inspectors and nursery stock certifiers, and growers.
(Track 2: Natural Capital Dialogues)
Session 4: Innovative Financing & Investment Mobilization
Moderator: Martin Lemoine, Advisor, PSOD, ADB
Fireside Chat: “What will it take to mobilize billions for Natural Capital?”
Anchor: Martin Lemoine, Advisor, PSOD, ADB
(Track 5: Digital Solutions and Innovation)
The session aims to showcase ADB’s commitment to scaling innovation. The event will promote scalable solutions in livestock and agri-food systems. The session targets DMC policymakers and implementing agencies, innovation providers and researchers will engage on scale pathways.
MC: Monica Petri, Senior Agriculture and Natural Resources Specialist, ADB
(Track 6: Investing in Bankable Crop, Livestock, and Aquaculture Value Chains)
This session convenes stakeholders from the Innovate for Food and Nutrition Security Program to review achievements, reflect on lessons learned, and outline next steps for advancing regenerative food systems across ASEAN, with a focus on scaling regenerative agriculture and enabling the markets, institutions, and partnerships that support it.
(Track 7: Adaptive Water Resources Infrastructure, Coastal Resilience and Blue Food/Carbon)
This session will deliver a highly engaging and dynamic learning experience for participants and audience, showcasing innovative ideas, initiatives, and investments that can accelerate food systems transformation. It will encourage cross-departmental collaboration across ADB teams, the FAO, and other partners, while identifying high-impact, transformational investment opportunities and partnerships capable of catalyzing systemic change in food systems.
(Track 8: Sustainable Rice Initiative and Low-Carbon Agriculture)
The session aims to illustrate APTERR as a proven regional food security emergency mechanism and public good, while exploring opportunities for tri‑partite coordination among APTERR/AFSIS, FAO‑AMIS, and IRRI on integrated data systems, early warning, forecasting, and evidence‑based policy dialogue. It also aims to examine pathways for adapting or replicating regional emergency mechanisms in other subregions to strengthen preparedness and response capacities.
This training will equip participants with an understanding of how natural capital approaches reveal the links between ecosystems, human well-being, and economic development, and how these methods can integrate nature’s value into policy and finance decisions. The session also introduces the process of conducting natural capital assessments, showcases real-world applications in the Asia-Pacific, and highlights how such evidence can inform development planning and investment across institutional decision cycles.
(Track 5: Digital Solutions and Innovation)
The session aims to demonstrate ADB’s capacity to finance and support large scale agricultural digital public infrastructure (DPI) and registries, showcase global best practices that inform ADB supported solutions, and stimulate demand from DMCs for future DPI investments. It targets senior government officials, ADB staff, and development partners, and is designed to strengthen policy dialogue and pipeline development for upcoming ADB financed DPI projects.
(Track 6: Investing in Bankable Crop, Livestock, and Aquaculture Value Chains)
The session aims to identify key constraints limiting the scaling of sustainable crop diversification and nutrition-sensitive value chains, and to highlight practical, solution-oriented pathways to address them. It will showcase frontier technologies, enabling policies and standards, and public–private partnerships that can strengthen climate resilience, improve nutrition outcomes, and inform ADB policy dialogue and investment priorities.
(Track 7: Adaptive Water Resources Infrastructure, Coastal Resilience and Blue Food/Carbon)
(Track 8: Sustainable Rice Initiative and Low-Carbon Agriculture)
- EDR - Speakers, DMCs, Exhibitors
- MFH 1-3 - All other participants
- Podium - Support
- PDR 1 - G2F team private lunch (by invite)
(Track 5: Digital Solutions and Innovation)
The session aims to showcase real-world ADB supported applications of AI and digital innovation in agriculture, illustrate pathways for scaling frontier technologies through public investment, and foster cross sector learning among countries. It targets ADB operations staff, government policymakers, development partners, agri tech practitioners, climate and food systems experts, and private sector innovators interested in scalable digital solutions.
(Track 6: Investing in Bankable Crop, Livestock, and Aquaculture Value Chains)
(Track 7: Adaptive Water Resources Infrastructure, Coastal Resilience and Blue Food/Carbon)
(Track 8: Sustainable Rice Initiative and Low-Carbon Agriculture)
(Track 5: Digital Solutions and Innovation)
The session explores how indicators, analytical tools, and digital dashboards can strengthen nutrition sensitive decision making for governments, development partners, and investors. By showcasing methods to assess diet cost and affordability, the cost of inaction, and the ROI of nutrition sensitive interventions, it demonstrates how data can enhance the design of agriculture and food systems projects to better deliver nutrition outcomes.
Overall Moderator: Omer Zafar, ADB-AFNR
(Track 6: Investing in Bankable Crop, Livestock, and Aquaculture Value Chains)
The session aims to respond to growing demand from ADB sovereign and private sector operations for bankable, scalable system enablers that can be embedded within agricultural value chain and food systems investments. It brings together scientists, ADB operational experience, and private sector perspectives to clarify how mechanization, logistics, and irrigation solutions can be structured, financed, and scaled through integrated investment approaches.
(Track 8: Sustainable Rice Initiative and Low-Carbon Agriculture)
This session will explore how these evolving approaches can help future-proof coffee value chains. It will highlight practical experiences from producers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who are integrating resilience, value addition, and market innovation into their business models.
The session aims to highlight the importance of livestock systems in transforming agrifood systems in Asia and the Pacific, present key regional trends, and challenges, showcase scalable sustainable livestock technologies, and strengthen partnerships to support integrated investments that enhance livestock production, public and animal health, and sustainability.
Introduction
Michelle Balbin, National Project Coordinator, FAO Philippines