The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will launch the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022) on Friday 19 November 2021.
The launch event – starting at 13:00 CET (Central European Time) and open to media and members of the public via Zoom or Webcast – will present the goals and objectives of IYAFA 2022 and inspire action-oriented celebrations throughout the coming year.
International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022) is a once in a lifetime opportunity to promote and celebrate a world in which small-scale artisanal fishers, fish farmers and fish workers are fully recognised and empowered to continue their contributions to human well-being, healthy food systems and poverty eradication through responsible and sustainable use of fisheries and aquaculture resources.
The launch will also pay tribute and link to World Fisheries Day, celebrated around the world on 21 November. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu will open the virtual launch event which will include an address by José Rogger Incio Sánchez, Minister of Production, Peru.
Editrudith Lukanga (IYAFA International Steering Committee Vice-Chair, International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty – Working Group on Fisheries) will speak on small-scale fisheries and Rohana Subasinghe (IYAFA International Steering Committee Vice-Chair, World Aquaculture Society) will speak on aquaculture.
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Maria Flachsbarth, Parliamentary State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, will send a video message, and the 2020 Margarita Lizarraga Medal awarded biennially to a person or organisation that has served with distinction in the application of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries will be presented by FAO’s Director-General to Margaret Nakato of the Katosi Women Development Trust.
Testimonies relating to the innovative capacity of small-scale fisheries and aquaculture in the context of sustainable development will then be shared by different stakeholders.
Manuel Barange, Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division at FAO will close the launch proceedings – with a call for global action to help make IYAFA a significant year-long undertaking. The event will be moderated by Marcela Villareal, Director, Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division, FAO. Live interpretation in all six FAO languages will be provided through the webcast and the audience will be able to engage through the webinar chat function.
(All information is based on FAO announcement.)