The APPG seeks to bring together Parliamentarians concerned with agriculture, nutrition and wider food security in the developing world. This cross-party group aims to engender progressive and informed debate within Westminster and beyond by bridging the gap between policy makers and practitioners in the field whilst also giving a voice to the 700 million smallhold farmers worldwide.

Events

A Reception to Mark International Women's Day

In conjunction with Action Aid and Concern Wordlwide UK

Cholmondeley Room, Terrace and Peers' Dining Room — House of Lords

Monday 8th March 2010

Speakers: Hon. Mrs. Phoebe Asiyo, A UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador since 1998 Mrs. Asiyo has been a strong advocate in highlighting the status of women in Africa and the forms of oppression they are subjected to. A political pioneer and outspoken advocate in the fight for women’s rights in Kenya for more than two decades she was elected to Parliament in 1992 as one of seven women as a result of the Kenyan Campaign for Democracy; Baroness Nuala O’Loane, a former police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, and also Irish government's roving ambassador for conflict resolution and its special envoy for Timor Leste and for women, peace and security.

The APPG on Agriculture and Food for Development, ActionAid and Concern Worldwide are pleased to invite you to a reception in the Houses of Parliament to mark International Women’s Day on Monday 8th March to support and celebrate the important role that women play in the fight against hunger as farmers, carers and providers of food.

The reception will highlight 2010 as a crucial year in the fight against hunger as part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In 2000, 189 world leaders pledged to ‘End Poverty by 2015’ and to halve the number of hungry people (MDG1) as well as ending gender disparity by 2015 (MDG3). With only 5 years to go until the MDGs are supposed to be met there is a huge amount of work still to be done as currently over 1 billion people go to bed hungry every night – 550 million more than the 2015 target. Today hunger remains the single biggest risk to health worldwide and poses a greater threat than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.

Similarly, women work two thirds of the world’s working hours and produce more than half of the world’s food but only earn 10% of the world’s income and own less than 1% of the world’s land. Women are largely responsible for growing, buying, selling and cooking food as well as feeding their children and families, yet they also make up 60% of the world’s hungry.

Please RSVP to birchj@parliament.uk if you plan to attend.

Fisheries, Growth and Food Security

Committee Room 2A — House of Lords — 18.00–19.00

Tuesday 9th March

In Conjunction with the Commonwealth Foundation

Dr. Malcolm Beveridge, The WorldFish Center

Dr. Malcolm Beveridge joined The WorldFish Center as the Discipline Director of the Aquaculture and Genetic Improvement discipline in April 2006. Dr. Beveridge obtained his Ph.D. in Aquatic Ecology from the University of Glasgow, United Kingdom. Dr. Beveridge has more than 25 years research experience in aquatic resources management including aquaculture and fisheries and their impacts, GIS, habitat restoration, limnology and fish ecology cumulating in 150 scientific papers, books and articles. He has 20 years experience of implementing research and capacity building projects with multidisciplinary partners in both tropical and temperate parts of the world. Dr. Beveridge was previously the Director of the Fisheries Research Services Freshwater Laboratory in Scotland.

Dr. Arthur Neiland, Former-Director CEMARE, University of Plymouth

Dr. Neiland has a family background in the herring industry and fish trade in both the UK and Ireland. He has over 20 years work experience of both fisheries and aquaculture in Europe, Africa and Asia, and is a former Director of CEMARE at the University of Portsmouth. He has recently led a number of international teams working on fisheries policy and planning initiatives in Sierra Leone, India and the Maldives for international donors.

Please RSVP to birchj@parliament.uk if you plan to attend.

A Schedule of events for the remainder of 2010 will be announced following the upcoming General Election.

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