Following the great advancements in agricultural outputs brought about by the ‘green revolution’, the 21st century is witnessing slower agricultural growth in the Asia-Pacific region. A serious decline in agricultural investment is largely to blame, along with depletion and degradation of natural resources in the face of continued population growth. Climate change and extreme weather events will further impact agriculture in many ways, particularly in areas vulnerable to natural disasters.

There are still more than 480 million people in the region who are undernourished, and the prevalence of stunting among young children is high in many countries. At the same time, obesity is rising in the region, and the Pacific Islands have the highest rates of obesity in the world. These conditions lead to multiple burdens of malnutrition, including underdevelopment of human capital and increasingly large burdens on public health systems.

In light of these challenges, FAO is helping to bring multiple stakeholders together to leverage new technologies and create new institutions that will help to create sustainable and inclusive growth in the region’s agricultural sectors. In this context, FAO invites engagement with the private sector for knowledge-sharing and to support new technologies and innovations that will help create sustainable and inclusive growth in the region’s agricultural sectors, and to jointly address some of the region’s key challenges.