This session aims to present ADB’s programmatic support for transforming India’s rice sector—through investments in irrigation, mechanization, digital technologies, and policy reform—under a planned $1.5 billion program for 2026–2030. It also aims to highlight priority public investments in landscape restoration, climate‑resilient water infrastructure, and value‑chain modernization, while showcasing financing models that can accelerate food‑system transformation and attract private co‑investment.
Keynote Speech
Yvonne Pinto, Director General, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
Roundtable 1: Pathways to Sustainable Rice Value Chains: Evidence from the field
The session is designed to share the field-level evidence on the transitional pathways to sustainable rice value chains.
Moderator: Takashi Yamano, Principal Economist, ADB
Panelists:
- Beau Damen, Natural Resources Officer, FAO
- Hiz Jamali, Senior Climate Change Officer, CCSD
- Kevin Chen, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
- Anton Urfels, Senior Scientist I – Water Management, IRRI
Roundtable 2 Designing Projects
The session shares insights how we design the projects to accelerate the transition to sustainable rice value chains.
Moderator: Shingo Kimura, Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Economist, Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Office, ADB
Panelists:
- Mingyuan Fan, Principal Water Resources Specialist, SD2-AFNR
- Kia Fariborz, Advisor, Carbon Finance, GIZ
- Eric Quincieu, Principal Water Resources Specialist, SD2-AFNR
- Aslam Javaid, Member (Agriculture), Planning and Development Board, Government of Punjab, Pakistan
