September 27th 2012
- Harbour Grand Kowloon, Hong Kong
Feeding the World: The 9 billion-people question
Asia’s prospect of plenty
Food forms the foundation of societies. Nutritious, safe and sustainable food underlies prosperous societies.
Worryingly, mounting evidence points towards a coming global crisis in food. The world’s population is projected to reach 9 billion by 2050. To feed this huge number, some say global food production needs to increase by as much as 70%.
Asia’s peculiar problems are potentially more pernicious and complex than most. China and India alone comprise one-third of the global population. Besides the burden Asia carries to feed more than half of the world’s population, other challenges loom large.
Issues across agriculture, health and nutrition, and in the region’s economies and trading structures, threaten a perfect storm. Among its diverse countries, Asia is grappling with labour, dietary and health shifts, volatile food and commodity prices, growing urban-rural income disparities, and shortages in agricultural investment and technology. Moreover, the region faces intractable climate change, land and water constraints.
As the region’s economies continue to grow, feeding Asia nutritiously, safely and sustainably in the years ahead will prove challenging. What course of action should Asia’s businesses, political leaders and policymakers take? How will countries across the region cope?
Viewed positively, Asia’s prospect of plenty could be brighter than it is bleak. Innovative solutions for feeding Asia increasingly involve public and private partnerships. Though early days, government and industry are working together to strengthen agriculture with greater access to investment and technology. A broader trend of collaboration is afoot too as industry, government and multilateral organisations begin to approach problems, devise solutions and capitalise on opportunities—together.
As a global publication that seeks to apply the tools of economics to policy problems, The Economist is in an excellent position to convene stakeholders for a rigorous and thought-provoking discussion around the critical questions: how will we feed the world in future, and, particularly how will we feed Asia?
By gathering leaders at the highest levels across industry, agribusiness, politics and advocacy organisations, The Economist is sparking a timely and inclusive dialogue in this the inaugural year of Feeding the World: Asia’s prospect of plenty.
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Draft Programme
8.45 am
| Chairperson opening remarks
John Parker, Globalisation Editor, The Economist |
9.15 am | Keynote panel: scene-setter The perfect storm which threatens Asia’s prospect of plenty food and plenty growth
Moderator: Speakers: |
10.00 am
| Policy discussion: Trade and economics
Moderator: Speakers: |
10.45 am | Networking refreshment break |
11.15 am | Agriculture discussion: Asia’s crops, land and water
Moderator: Speakers: |
12.00 pm | Health discussion: Asia’s double burden Rising diabetes and obesity are rich-world problems to have. Poor nutrition, nutritional literacy, and hunger are developing-world problems to have. Asia’s double burden is that it is grappling with both at the same time.
Moderator: Speakers: |
12.45 pm | Networking luncheon |
1.45 pm
| Working groups: 4 concurrent sessions Breakout session No 1– Agricultural innovations and investment to nourish the future
Breakout session No 2– Climate change
Breakout session No 3– New models of collaboration—what are we learning?
Breakout session No 4– Health and Asia’s double burden
Session No 4 discussion leader: |
3.15 pm | Networking refreshment break |
3.45 pm | Presentations from working groups |
4.25 pm | Special interview—Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation The Gates Foundation, the world’s empowering charity, on its shift in focus from health and development to feeding the world. What are they are doing at present, and what are their plans? |
4.55 pm | Chairperson closing remarks
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5.00 pm | Networking cocktail reception |
SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSOR:
LEAD SPONSOR:
OFFICIAL AIRLINE PARTNER:
Jeff Klein, Chief Executive Officer, The Global FoodBanking Network
Brett Rierson, Director, China Office, UN World Food Programme (WFP)
Shenggen Fan, Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Jose Cuesta, Food Price Watch author, Senior Economist, The World Bank
Bev Postma, Executive Director, Food Industry Asia
Tan Siang Hee, Executive Director, CropLife Asia
Countdown To Event
Add this event to your calendar >> SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSOR:
LEAD SPONSOR:
OFFICIAL AIRLINE PARTNER:
 | Jeff Klein Chief Executive Officer The Global FoodBanking Network |
 | Brett Rierson Director, China Office UN World Food Programme (WFP) |
 | Shenggen Fan Director General International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) |
 | Jose Cuesta Food Price Watch author, Senior Economist The World Bank |
 | Bev Postma Executive Director Food Industry Asia |
 | Tan Siang Hee Executive Director CropLife Asia |
SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSOR:
LEAD SPONSOR:
OFFICIAL AIRLINE PARTNER:
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Lead sponsor:
Official airline partner:
SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSOR:
LEAD SPONSOR:
OFFICIAL AIRLINE PARTNER:
Contact us to learn more or pre-register your interest to attend Feeding Asia:
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Countdown To Event
Add this event to your calendar >> SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSOR:
LEAD SPONSOR:
OFFICIAL AIRLINE PARTNER:
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