(Cape Town, South Africa)- ADFIAP Secretary General Mr. Enrique Florencio emphasized in his presentation the catalytic role of PDBs in climate change adaptation at the Finance in Common Summit 2025 on “Sustainable Food Systems, Global Challenges: The Catalytic Role of PDBs.” The event, which was held on February 28, 2025, at the Cape Town International Convention Center, brought together experts from public development banks (PDBs) and other stakeholders to discuss the critical role of PDBs in promoting sustainable food systems.

Mr. Florencio underscores the importance of climate change adaptation in promoting sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region. He noted that ADFIAP, as a regional association of development finance institutions, recognizes the need for its members to integrate climate change adaptation into their strategies.

To support its members in this effort, Mr. Florencio highlighted three key initiatives launched by ADFIAP:

1. ABANX Core Banking Solutions: A cutting-edge core banking system designed to enhance development finance institutions’ operational efficiency and risk management capabilities.
2. ESG Scoring System: A pioneering tool that helps development finance institutions assess their projects and investments’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance.
3. Seed2Market: An innovative platform that connects small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with investors, providing them access to capital and resources needed to scale up their businesses. Seed2Market is an innovative platform that initially focuses on agricultural applications but can expand into supply chain management, logistics, manufacturing, and other sectors where traceability solutions create value.

Mr. Florencio explained that these initiatives are designed to support ADFIAP members in promoting sustainable development and climate adaptation in the Asia-Pacific region.

The session on “Sustainable Food Systems, Global Challenges: The Catalytic Role of PDBs” provided a platform for experts to share their insights and expertise on the critical role of PDBs in promoting sustainable food systems. ADFIAP’s participation in the session underscored its commitment to supporting its members in their efforts to address global challenges and promote sustainable development.