Manila, Philippines — March 19, 2026 — The Agricultural Innovation Mechanism for Scale (AIM for Scale) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration in scaling evidence-based agricultural innovations through ADB-financed programs across Asia and the Pacific.
For millions of farmers, access to timely information, productivity-enhancing solutions, and better services can significantly strengthen livelihoods. Yet too many promising agricultural innovations remain stuck in small pilots, reaching only a fraction of the farmers who could benefit. AIM for Scale–funded by the UAE’s International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court and the Gates Foundation–works to close this gap by identifying evidence-based, cost-effective innovations and assembling the technical expertise, partnerships, and catalytic resources needed to scale them. Through this cooperation, ADB brings its deep country engagement and financing capacity to translate these proven solutions into large-scale investments capable of reaching millions of farmers across Asia and the Pacific.
The agreement establishes a formal framework for cooperation between the two organizations, with the goal of helping governments integrate proven agricultural innovations into large-scale public investments and national development programs.
Under the arrangement, AIM for Scale and ADB will work together to scale high-impact agricultural solutions in areas including weather services for farmers, digital advisory services for agriculture, and innovations that improve livestock productivity, with the potential to expand collaboration into additional innovation areas in the future.
The agreement was signed during the Asia and the Pacific Food Systems Forum at ADB headquarters in Manila as part of a session focused on moving agricultural innovations from research and pilot programs into large-scale implementation.
“ADB is committed to supporting our member countries in transforming food systems and improving farmers’ livelihoods,” said Qingfeng Zhang, Senior Director, Agriculture, Food, Nature, and Rural Development Sector Office, in his opening remarks. “Working with AIM for Scale will help accelerate the adoption of proven innovations and strengthen pathways from research to large-scale investment.”
Nobel laureate Michael Kremer, who chairs AIM for Scale’s Advisory Panel and delivered the keynote address, highlighted the initiative’s focus on translating evidence into large-scale implementation. “AIM for Scale grew out of the work of the Innovation Commission for Climate Change, Food Security, and Agriculture, which identifies innovations with strong evidence of impact and cost-effectiveness. Together with AIM for Scale, we look forward to working closely with ADB to help bring these solutions to scale in the coming years in support of global food security.”
“Achieving meaningful improvements in farmers’ livelihoods requires moving beyond pilots to solutions that reach millions,” said Paul Winters, Executive Director of AIM for Scale. “ADB has long played a leading role in supporting large-scale agricultural transformation across Asia and the Pacific. By partnering with AIM for Scale, ADB is helping ensure that proven innovations are translated into major public investments capable of delivering impact for millions of farmers.”
The cooperation agreement builds on collaboration between the two organizations since 2024 and reflects a growing emphasis among governments and development partners on scaling innovations that deliver measurable improvements in farmer productivity, resilience, and incomes.
