SFA CEO Umino Speaks at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) 'Asia-Pacific Food Systems Forum 2026'

SFA CEO Umino is the second person from the right.

Sustainable Food Asia Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kei Umino; hereinafter "SFA"), which promotes food business co-creation centered on Southeast Asia, participated in and spoke at the "Asia-Pacific Food Systems Forum 2026," a ministerial-level meeting hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila, Philippines. SFA was one of six Japanese companies and organizations that participated as part of the Japanese mission (hereinafter "public-private mission") organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).

At the forum, a signing ceremony was held to extend the Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between MAFF and the ADB for another four years. This was followed by side events on nutrition and booth exhibitions by Japanese companies. SFA presented concrete solutions for building sustainable food systems in the Asia-Pacific region.

MAFF Press Release https://www.maff.go.jp/j/press/y_kokusai/kikou/260323.html

Presentation Topic: Addressing the 'Climate-Food-Nutrition Nexus'

SFA CEO Kei Umino spoke at a nutrition seminar themed "Climate–Food–Nutrition Nexus," which was the first initiative following the MOC extension, co-hosted by MAFF and the ADB. Key points included:

・ "Impact"-focused implementation: Proposals on how to socially implement solutions that integrate knowledge, networks, and technology, rather than just providing funding. He emphasized the need for a mechanism and platform that makes decisions based on social and environmental "impact" rather than simple cost comparisons.

・ Effectiveness of Japanese-style "Nutrition Education": He highlighted how Japan's school lunch and nutritional management systems, which have supported the country's longevity, can serve as effective solutions for complex issues in Asia, such as poverty, malnutrition, and lifestyle-related diseases.

Co-creation with Two Japanese Startups

For this presentation, SFA collaborated with two Japanese startups working on "agricultural production transformation" and "improving nutritional access"...