Some 60 representatives of different organizations of small farmers, fishers, indigenous people's, rural youth and women and rural development organization from 13 countries in Asia and the Pacific converged in Manila to urge financial institutions like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government to invest in smallholder agriculture in order to address food security. At the sidelines of the two-day conference, "Investment for Whom and for What?" being held in Ortigas, Pasig City, Esther Penunia of the Asian Farmers Association, and small agricultural producers constitute the bulk of the food producers in Asia and the Pacific, providing food not only for the region but also other parts of the world but lack the necessary support from their respective governments and financial institutions.

Wakefield, F. T. (2010, July 8). ADB asked to invest in small farms, fishers. Manila Bulletin, p. 4.