Dr. Ryohei Kada, professor of Agricultural Economics at Shijonawate Gakuen University, in Osaka, Japan, and one of the keynote speakers, stressed the need for a deeper understanding of the relationship between environment deterioration and its impact on food and health security, considering that “Asia is experiencing a significant transformation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.” “What we are doing upstream is affecting downstream. The damages will not only result in huge economic loss, but also affect serious public health issues in urban areas located downstream, such as Laguna Lake and Sekampung watershed in West Sumatra, Indonesia,” Kada said. “We have developed community-friendly methods of enhancing through Science, the local adaptation option for reducing the impacts of fish kills and lake pollution on the livelihood of open water fisherfolk,” Kada said.

Marticio, M. T. G. (2018, June 14). Environmental science in focus at conference. Manila Bulletin, p. 6.