Farmer welfare and consumer health are keys to rice sector development in the Asia-Pacific Region

Dr. Bruce Tolentino, IRRI deputy director general on communication and partnerships, 

leads the discussion during the rice working group panel of the 2017 Responsible Business Forum.

JAKARTA, Indonesia—More than 600 decision makers from public, private, and developmental sectors participated in the 4th Responsible Business Forum (RBF) on Food and Agriculture to establish innovative and collaborative approaches to food and nutrition security in the Asia-Pacific Region. Held on 13-15 March, this year’s theme is Securing Asia’s Food and Nutrition Future: Enhancing Access to Finance, Technology, Knowledge, and Markets.

“These twin objectives need to be met simultaneously in order to help both farmers as well as consumers,” said Dr. Bruce Tolentino, deputy director general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and chair of the panel on rice at the RBF. “For its part, IRRI is working on the science solutions to not only tackle improved rice yields but to also enhance rice nutrition and quality.”

Representatives of business, governments, international developmental agencies, and farmers attended the event and will produce actionable recommendations for increasing productivity through agricultural sustainability, product innovation for food safety and nutrition, and collaboration along the entire food chain.

The guests of honor and speakers at the 4th RBF included Indonesian Minister for National Development and Planning Bambang Brodjonegoro, Indonesian Land and Spatial Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil, Permanent Secretary of Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation Tin Htut, and Philippine Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Segfredo Serrano.

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