Programme
The programme includes panel discussions and interactive breakout sessions designed for different parts of the rice value chain.
Opportunities and challenges for sustainable rice production in Asia and beyond
Practical approaches to low-carbon farming and market access
The role of digital tools, finance, and partnerships in scaling impact
Policy advocacy pathways to align food security, farmer livelihoods, and climate goals
Agenda
Day 1: 17 Nov 2025 | Global commitments and drivers
08:00 – 08:30 | Registration & welcome coffee
08:30 – 09:00 | Opening ceremony
09:00 – 09:45 | Opening remarks
Peter Feilberg
Executive Director of Preferred by Nature
Topic: Advancing Sustainability of the Global Rice Sector
H.E. Denis Chaibi
Ambassador of the European Union to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam
Topic: Building Resilient Food Systems Through EU lenses – Global cooperation on Sustainable Rice
Dr. (HC) Zulkifli Hasan, S.E., M.M.
Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Republic of Indonesia
Topic: Advancing Sustainable Rice Productivity for a Resilient Food System
09:45 – 10:30 | Coffee break and group photo
10:30 – 12:00 | Plenary session I
Key note 1: Dr. Yvonne Pinto
Director General of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
Topic: Why Sustainable Rice Matters Globally: Feeding the World and Shaping Sustainable Future
Moderator: Ajith Radakrishnan
Senior Specialist, World Bank – 2030 Water Resources Group
Panelist 1: Rustamaji
Farmer group of Rikolto Indonesia (KTPL representative)
Topic: Role of farmer organisations in scaling up sustainable rice practices
Panelist 2: Kylie Porter
Group Director, Sustainability, Sunrice
Topic: Role of millers, traders, and brands in scaling sustainability
Panelist 3: Marilique Nijmeijer
Associate Professional Officer, Climate Change and Sustainable Bioeconomy, FAO
Topic: Policies and partnerships to enhance sustainable rice
Panelist 4: Tobias Breunig
Advisor at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Topic: Climate perspective: making rice climate resilient
12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch and exhibition
13:00 – 14:30 | Plenary session II
Key note 2: Alan Johnson
Senior Operations Officer at IFC
Topic: Drivers for Change – Mobilizing Markets, Carbon Finance, Donors, and Governments to Accelerate Rice Sustainability
Moderator 2: Alan Johnson
Senior Operations Officer at IFC
Panelist 1: Dr. Sidi Rana Menggala
National Coordinator, Global Environment Facility – Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP)
Topic: Opportunities for the rice sector to benefit from methane reduction projects, carbon credits, and climate-smart practices
Panelist 2: Anoushka Harris
Sustainability Manager, Associated British Foods
Topic: How buyer commitments and consumer demand shape sustainable rice markets
Panelist 3: Dr. Senthilkumar Kalimuthu
Program Leader – Sustainable Productivity Enhancement (SPE) at Africa
Topic: Building a Sustainable Rice Sector in Africa: Regional Strategies, Innovation, and Institutional Support
Panelist 4: Dr. Arjumand Nizami
Pakistan Country Director, Helvetas
Topic: The Role of Price Premiums in Scaling Climate-Smart Rice Farming
14:30 – 15:00 | Networking and coffee break
15:00 – 16:00 | Breakout session I
Parallel tracks:
Farm and Field practices:
Best practice in Nutrient and Water Management for Climate Resilience (AWD and DSR)
Speakers:
Saito Kazuki – Senior Scientist II – Cropping Systems Agronomy / Climate Change at IRRI
Jardinero Benedict – Manager Digital Agriculture, IRRI
Farm and Field practices:
Farmer-to-Farmer Learning – Demonstrating community-based models for scaling best practices through peer networks, cooperatives, and producer organizations.
Speaker:
John Ereng – East Africa Rice Programme Director, Rikolto
Regulatory and finance insights:
How Market regulations may affect the rice sector globally
Speaker:
David Hadley – Regulatory Impact Programme Director, Preferred by Nature
Supply chain and market perspectives:
Regional dialogues (Asia, Africa, Latin America) – linking farmers to global markets
Speakers:
Ariel Zorrilla – Commodity Strategy Director & Soy Commodity Lead, Preferred by Nature
Aadarsh Mohandas – Regional Director, South Asia & Rice Commodity Lead, Preferred by Nature
Supply chain and market perspectives:
Farm and Field practices: Inclusive rice systems: empowering women and youth
Speaker:
Dalali Venge – Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Expert
16:00 – 17:00 | Breakout session II
Parallel tracks:
Regulatory and finance insights:
Climate Finance Opportunities in Rice Value Chains
Speakers:
Beau Damen – Natural Resources Officer – Climate Change and Climate Finance, FAO
Alan Johnson – Senior Operations Officer, IFC Executive
Jens – Soth, Director, Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP)
Supply chain and market perspectives:
Overview of the global market trends and demand for low carbon rice (LCR), how to create market demand for LCR.
Speaker:
Wyn Ellis – World Bank Consultant; former Executive Director, Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP)
Regulatory and finance insights:
Large scale rice farming in Americas
Speaker:
Cecilia Pattarino – General Manager, Rice Growers Association (Asociación Cultivadores de Arroz, ACA, Uruguay)
Regulatory and finance insights:
Perspectives From China: Trade, Value Chains, and Sustainable Rice
Speaker:
Ying Li – Deputy Director of International Soil Health Research Center in China Agricultural University
Farm and Field practices:
Financing agrochemicals reduction and management in rice value chains
Speaker:
Nadya Pryana – Knowledge Management and Research Specialist at UNEP
17:00 – 18:00 | Networking break and exhibition
18:00 – 20:00 | Reception Dinner
Day 2: 18 Nov 2025 | Standards, Finance & Innovation
08:00 – 08:45 | Welcome coffee and exhibition
08:45 – 10:00 | Plenary Session III
Key note 3: M. Rizal Taufikurahman
Low Carbon Rice Researcher
Topic: The Opportunities of The Sustainable Rice In Indonesia
Remarks on Day 2: Prof. Dr. Ir. Rachmat Pambudy, M.S.
Minister of National Development Planning, Republic of Indonesia
Topic: Shaping Global Pathways: Sustainable Rice, Climate Action, and Food System Transformation
10:00 – 10:30 | Networking and coffee break
10:30 – 12:00 | Plenary Session IV
Key note 4: Vidya Rangan
Director of Policy and Engagement at ISEAL (will join online)
Topic: Ensuring credibility: the role of standards, monitoring, and verification in the rice sector
Moderator: Dr. Wyn Ellis
World Bank Consultant; former Executive Director, Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP)
Panelist 1: Jens Soth
Executive Director, Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP)
Topic: Leading the global standard for sustainable rice cultivation, ensuring credibility through verified practices
Panelist 2: Sanjay Sethi
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Topic: Integrating Certification into Large-Scale Rice Initiatives: Pathways and Practical Approaches
Panelist 3: Namaporn Attaviroj
Senior Standards Officer, ACFS, Thailand
Topic: Perspective of how governments embed credibility into national frameworks
12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch and exhibition
13:00 – 14:00 | Breakout session III
Regulatory and finance insights:
Incentives and Externalities for Sustainable Rice Transformation
Speaker:
DR. Prakashan Chellattan Veettil – Senior agricultural & behavioural economist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
Farm and Field practices:
Role of Regenerative Agriculture in Sustainable Rice Production
Speakers:
Jérémie De Charentenay – Head of Asia, Livelihoods Venture Thailand
Regulatory and finance insights:
Standard, Assurance & Regulation – Coexistence between national and global standards
Speaker:
Trusti Widiastuti and ACFS – Thailand- Standard & Assurance Manager Sustainable Rice
Farm and Field practices:
Community-based Monitoring Reporting Verification for carbon and biodiversity
Speaker:
Nafil Attamimi – Senior Program Officer – Natural Climate Solutions, Verra
Supply chain and market perspectives:
Robust traceability Systems for Verifying Sustainability and Carbon Claims
Speaker:
Devon Long – VP of Commercial, CarbonFarm
14:00 – 14:30 | Networking and coffee break
14:30 – 16:00 | Plenary session V
Key note 5: Dr. Gerlie Tatlonghari
Program Head, The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)
Topic: Global technology and innovation: tech providers, startups, research
Moderator: Dr. Gerlie Tatlonghari
Program Head, The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)
Panelist 1: Pranav Sethaputra
Business Sustainability Lead, Asia Pacific, BASF Agricultural Solutions
Topic: Japan Innovative Crop Protection Solutions for Sustainable Rice Farming
Panelist 2: Jardinero Benedict
Manager Digital Agriculture, IRRI
Topic: AI-driven platform giving farmers credit scoring, advisory, and traceability tools tailored for rice farmers
Panelist 3: Ezhil Subbian
CEO, String Bio
Topic: Innovative Fertilizer and Bio-Based Technologies
16:00 – 17:30 | Plenary session VI
Key note 6: Beau Damen
Natural Resources Officer – Climate Change and Climate Finance at FAO
Topic: Financing the Future of Rice: Mobilizing Capital for Climate-Smart Cultivation
Moderator: Nana Kuenkel
Agriculture and Food Cluster Coordinator, GIZ
Panelist 1: Shingo Kimura
Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Economist, Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Office, ADB
Topic: Large scale investments in sustainable rice
Panelist 2: Ajith Radhakarishan
Senior Specialist, World Bank – 2030 Water Resources Group
Topic: Financing sustainable rice transformation through innovative projects
Panelist 3: John Ereng
East Africa Rice Programme Director, Rikolto
Topic: Financing models for smallholders through formal and informal financial institutions
17:30 – 18:00 | Closing remarks
Sutarto Alimoeso
Chairman of Indonesian Rice Millers and Traders Association (PERPADI)
Breakout sessions for real-world action
You’ll have the chance to take part in interactive breakout sessions, designed for practical learning. These sessions are your space to connect with experts and peers, exchange experiences, and leave with knowledge you can apply directly in your own work.
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Expect a mix of panel discussions and hands-on breakout sessions. We’re curating a line-up of national and international voices from policy, farming, trade, and research across the rice value chain. Subscribe to be the first to hear our speaker announcements.