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Nutrition International and the Asian Development Bank join forces to tackle malnutrition in the region
At the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Paris 2025 Summit, Nutrition International and the Asian Development Bank unveil a partnership to accelerate progress toward nutrition security across the Asia region.
Posted on March 26, 2025
Paris, FRANCE — Today, Nutrition International and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced a new cooperation agreement aimed at tackling malnutrition by enhancing nutrition security in the Asia region. The partnership was unveiled during an N4G side event in Paris, where both organizations co-hosted a panel discussion titled, “Mainstreaming nutrition in development: Unlocking the potential of multilateral development banks.”
“At ADB, we are committed to embedding nutrition into all aspects of food system investments,” said Fatima Yasmin, Vice President (Sectors and Themes), Asian Development Bank. “Our goal is not only to produce more food—but to produce better food, ensuring that communities have access to diverse, healthy, and affordable diets. Together with our partners, we are scaling efforts to make this a reality.”
“With global official development assistance for basic nutrition declining, this timely partnership with the ADB offers a beacon of hope that aims to hold the line and scale up investments in nutrition.
— Joel Spicer, President and CEO, Nutrition International
Key highlights of the partnership:
The partnership will leverage the strengths of both organizations to promote programs and projects in the field of nutrition within the wider food system transformation through:
- A focus on nutrition-smart investments: By prioritizing and integrating nutrition across the ADB’s investments in various sectors, including agriculture, climate change, education, health and nutrition, natural resource management, rural development, social protection, and water, sanitation and hygiene, the partnership aims to enhance nutrition impact in Asia.
- Research and advocacy: Together, Nutrition International and the ADB will conduct policy research and advocacy efforts to keep nutrition at the forefront of development agendas, ensuring a sustainable and inclusive approach.
- Capacity building: Nutrition International will support and enhance the capacity of ADB staff and other relevant stakeholders through training programs and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
“At ADB, we are committed to embedding nutrition into all aspects of food system investments.
— Fatima Yasmin, Vice President (Sectors and Themes), Asian Development Bank
“Stunting, anaemia and low birthweight caused by undernutrition costs the global economy USD $761 billion per year, with Asia bearing USD $346 billion of this burden. This is a huge cost that can be prevented by strengthening our focus on nutrition-smart investments,” said Joel Spicer, President and CEO, Nutrition International. “With global official development assistance for basic nutrition declining, this timely partnership with the ADB offers a beacon of hope that aims to hold the line and scale up investments in nutrition.”
The high cost of inaction on nutrition in Asia
Despite significant economic growth across Asia, malnutrition remains a persistent challenge:
- 371 million people in the region are undernourished — accounting for half of the world’s undernourished population
- One in every two children suffers from at least one micronutrient deficiency
- Economic toll: Asia loses at least USD $346 billion annually due to undernutrition, representing 0.9% of its national income
- To achieve the World Health Assembly Global Nutrition Targets by 2030, an additional USD $10.8 billion is needed
- Stunting crisis: Each year, Asia records 15.2 million new cases of stunting, leading to an economic loss of USD $259 billion and contributing to:
- 439,000 deaths
- A loss of 161 million IQ points
- 26 million school years lost
- Anaemia burden: Each year, Asia records 386.2 million new cases of anaemia among adolescent girls and women (aged 15-49), costing the economy USD $49 billion
- Low birthweight impact: With an estimated 9.9 million new cases of low birthweight annually, the Asia region loses USD $118 billion due to:
- 257,000 deaths
- A loss of 97 million IQ points
This partnership comes at a pivotal time, as the global nutrition community — including governments, industry, partners, donors and multilateral development banks — convene to pledge commitments towards improving the nutrition outcomes of populations living in vulnerable situations. It marks a key milestone in driving collective action to mainstream nutrition as a cornerstone of sustainable and inclusive development.
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