fbpx Easing Food Crisis and Promoting Long-Term Food Security in Asia and the Pacific | Asian Development Bank

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.

Easing Food Crisis and Promoting Long-Term Food Security in Asia and the Pacific

Food insecurity is threatening to reverse decades of development progress in Asia and the Pacific. In September 2022, 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 the region, 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.

ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa

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.

Prices of key agricultural products

Food prices remain high, but have recently fallen from their peaks on sluggish demand and improved crop expectations

ADB's immediate response

In 2022, ADB expects to finalize commitments totaling about $3.3 billion.

$0 billion

Public Sector (Sovereign) Operations

  Repurpose and utilize existing projects
  Strengthen countercyclical support facility for food security
  Launch new projects in agriculture, natural resources, and rural development

$0 million

Private Sector (Nonsovereign) Operations

  Trade and supply chain finance
  Direct agribusiness lending
  Microfinance program
  Lending to financial institutions

ADB's long-term strategy

Continued long-term support (2023-2025) for new projects in agriculture, natural resources, and rural development

Climate-smart agriculture

Climate-smart agriculture

Step up support for climate-smart agriculture

Digital technologies in agriculture

Digital technologies in agriculture

Digitize agriculture sector with custom interventions for developing member countries

Nature-based solutions

Nature-based solutions

Introduce innovative financing mechanisms to promote nature-based solutions, leading to better agri-food systems and balanced diets

Perspectives on food security

  • Without progress on climate and biodiversity, there will be no progress on food security. To address these interlinked challenges, we need an unprecedented level of cooperation.
     

    Without progress on climate and biodiversity, there will be no progress on food security. To address these interlinked challenges, we need an unprecedented level of cooperation.

    Learn more
  • The global food crisis is causing widespread hunger and poverty and requires an urgent, collective response.
     

    The global food crisis is causing widespread hunger and poverty and requires an urgent, collective response.

    Learn more
  • The escalating loss of biodiversity in Asia and the Pacific is expected to have a devastating effect on economies that rely on natural capital, risking as much as $19 trillion, or 63% of the region’s GDP.
     

    The escalating loss of biodiversity in Asia and the Pacific is expected to have a devastating effect on economies that rely on natural capital, risking as much as $19 trillion, or 63% of the region’s GDP.

    Learn more
  • Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, food prices have risen consistently due to supply chain disruptions, rising shipping costs, and bad weather.
     

    Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, food prices have risen consistently due to supply chain disruptions, rising shipping costs, and bad weather.

    Learn more