Responsible Business Forum to outline future growth plans for food and agriculture sector in Southeast Asia

Held during July 14-15 under the theme “Driving Growth, Improving Lives”, the forum is being hosted in partnership with WWF, Bloomberg, Business World, Eco Business, IRRI, RSPO, PBE, Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock, Asian NGO, ASSIST, MSC, Bonsucro and Global Initiatives.

The list of speakers and programmes highlight participants from Nestle, Unilever, GIZ, ADB, Syngenta, Monsanto, Cocoa Foundation of the Philippines, FAO, Cargill, Sugar Regulatory Administration, Philippine Palm Oil Development Council and many others.

“Global population is climbing towards nine billion. More people live within Asia Pacific than the rest of the world. Our challenge is to learn how to sustainably produce more with a finite base of arable land, challenged seas and dwindling natural resource,” said WWF-Philippines vice-chairman and CEO Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan. “This forum offers one platform to exchange ideas that will define next practice both for agriculture and aquaculture.”

Key renowned speakers include Francis Pangilinan, presidential adviser on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization, Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, vice-chairman and CEO of WWF-Philippines, Jason Clay, Markets and Food senior vice-president for WWF US, Peter Erik, Sustainable Agriculture Initiative general manager, Guy Hogge, Louis Dreyfus Commodities Global head of Sustainability, Anni Mitin, Southeast Asian Council for Food Security and Fair Trade executive director, Geoffrey Muldoon, Business and Industry Strategy leader for WWF’s Coral Triangle Program and Natasha Schwarzbach, interim general manager for Bonsucro among others.

“The Responsible Business Forum on Food and Agriculture aims to facilitate better collaboration in increasing agricultural productivity in ways that improve farmer livelihoods and reduce impacts on the environment,” said Tony Gourlay, CEO of Global Initiatives.

Global Initiatives promotes partnership solutions to global challenges through film, international events and media projects. By sharing knowledge plus best practices and calling on all stakeholders to take action, it addresses some of the greatest challenges facing the world. Its initiatives are about partnership, inspiration and creating a better future.

Agricultural commodities addressed at the forum will include rice, poultry, aquaculture and fisheries, palm oil, coffee and cocoa, and sugar. Working groups will produce recommendations on sustainable land use, equitable opportunity for small-holder farmers, increasing productivity and improving rural livelihoods on July 15.