Synopsis of high-level policy forum "Agricultural and Rural Development for Reducing Poverty and Hunger in Asia: In Pursuit of Inclusive and Sustainable Growth" in Manila in August 2007.
In the last thirty years Asia has experienced dynamic growth and structural transformation, and has achieved substantial poverty reduction. The incidence of people living in poverty fell from more than 50 percent in the mid-1970s to 18 percent in 2004, and the incidence of hunger fell to 16 percent. However, Asia is still home to more than half of the world's poor, the majority of whom live in rural areas. Agricultural and rural development thus remains a critical component of an inclusive growth strategy for the region.
Recognizing that today's Asia faces new challenges and opportunities, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) organized a high-level policy forum "Agricultural and Rural Development for Reducing Poverty and Hunger in Asia: In Pursuit of Inclusive and Sustainable Growth" in Manila in August 2007.
The forum brought together about 100 leaders and stakeholders from the public and private sectors, academia, and civil society from all over Asia and around the world to examine the role of agricultural and rural development in reducing poverty and hunger in today's Asia. Participants examined the scale and nature of poverty and hunger in rural Asia and explored growth and structural changes in Asian agriculture and rural non-farm activities. Strategies for economy-wide and trade policies to encourage inclusive rural growth were discussed, and key emerging risks such as climate change and instruments for mitigating and managing risks were examined.
We hope that the findings and recommendations for pro-poor policies and investments of the Manila Policy Forum will contribute to a broader consensus on the role of agricultural and rural development in reaching and going beyond the poverty and hunger Millennium Development Goal and in achieving inclusive and sustainable growth in Asia.
Joachim von Braun, Director General, IFPRI
Lawrence Greenwood, Vice-President, ADB
The report is available to download in PDF format.
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