Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Global food production already exceeds demand, yet hunger and malnutrition persist across Asia. To understand this paradox, we must look beneath the surface: at degraded soils, industrial monocultures and the narrowing of what we grow and eat. This session explores how food systems in Asia can move beyond rice-centric, extractive models by embracing biodiversity, cultural heritage, and nutrition. Highlighting initiatives led by farmers, chefs and communities, it showcases how underutilized crops and traditional agroecological practices are being revitalized to restore soils, diversify diets and reconnect food with culture, dignity and justice.
Global food production already exceeds demand, yet hunger and malnutrition persist across Asia. To understand this paradox, we must look beneath the surface: at degraded soils, industrial monocultures and the narrowing of what we grow and eat. This session explores how food systems in Asia can move beyond rice-centric, extractive models by embracing biodiversity, cultural heritage, and nutrition. Highlighting initiatives led by farmers, chefs and communities, it showcases how underutilized crops and traditional agroecological practices are being revitalized to restore soils, diversify diets and reconnect food with culture, dignity and justice.
