The Asian Development Bank Healthy Oceans Tech and Finance Forum, held on 26-28 January 2022, aimed to promote and share innovative technologies, good practices, case studies, and practical solutions to protect and enhance the health and resilience of ocean ecosystems and coastal communities in the region.
The three-day forum covered 4 thematic tracks: (1) Plastic-free Oceans, (2) Coastal Resilience, (3) Ocean Finance, and (4) Blue Foods. The program included talks by ocean champions, seaside conversations with ADB management, and special spotlight sessions. Deep dives under each thematic track featured ocean science, innovations, and technologies along with traditional and proven approaches and solutions (including low-technology and indigenous knowledge) that have potential for scale-up.
Blue Food Events at ADB Healthy Oceans
Opening Plenary | Wednesday, Jan 26 | 9:15 AM – 9:40 AM (UTC+8)
Shakuntala Thilsted (WorldFish, BFA Scientific Leadership Team) joined as the keynote speaker to discuss aquatic foods for healthy people and planet.
Scene Setter: Blue Food | Wednesday, Jan 26 | 10:20 AM – 10:40 AM (UTC+8)
Jim Leape (Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, BFA Core Team) opened the blue food sessions by discussing scientific findings of the Blue Food Assessment and recommendations for action.
The Climate: Ensuring the Contribution of Blue Aquatic Foods to Climate Resilience, Nature and Biodiversity | Thursday, Jan 27 | 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. (UTC +8)
Michelle Tigchelaar (Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, BFA Core Team) joined a panel to discuss findings from the BFA Climate paper and opportunities for innovations in policy, finance and technology for climate resilience.
Friends of Ocean Action: Fast-Tracking Solutions to Pressing Ocean Challenges | ADB Virtual Expo
Informed by Blue Food Assessment research, Friends of Ocean Action and UpLink launched the Blue Food Challenge in 2021 to identify technology innovators that contribute to food security and accelerate sustainable food system transformation. The virtual expo booth showcased two of these innovators: Fishbee (based in the Philippines) is a community supported fishery platform that empowers local fishers by connecting them directly with customers in order to deliver fresh and high quality, sustainably caught seafood via an app. Coast 4C (based in Australia) aims to integrate the world’s largest supply chain for regenerative seaweed, driving benefit for the 4Cs of community, conservation, commerce, and climate.
