Mr Ajay Vashee, President of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers

with special guest Mr. James Ingram, The Crawford Report Convenor

November 11, 2008

Special event with the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists and The Crawford Fund

Global food crisis and an Australian response.

The global food and energy crisis will be the focus of a major international address in Canberra on Tuesday, November 11.

The Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists will host the media and agribusiness lunch at the National Press Club.

Special guest will be the new President of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, Mr Ajay Vashee of Zambia.  He is the first farmer from a developing nation to lead the world body in its 62 year history.

A report will also be launched which addresses policy options open to Australia in response to the food crisis by James Ingram, former Executive Director of the UN World Food Program. Mr. Ingram headed a taskforce of eminent Australians put together by non government agency, The Crawford Fund.


Mr Vashee was elected at the 38th World Farmers Congress in Warsaw in June and is in Australia to attend an IFAP executive meeting.

He is an inspirational leader who united farmers from 14 countries in southern Africa to promote their common interests.

On election as head of the world farm group, Mr Vashee said his vision was to put farmer’s perspectives at the centre of global politics.

Under his leadership, the IFAP priority will be to address the world food crisis and the sustainable production of biofuels.

Mr Vashee has a strong interest in seeing farmers rewarded for their environmental stewardship and has taken high level initiatives within the United Nations.
He is also promoting a global approach to climate change to address both the negative impacts and potential benefits for farmers worldwide.

IFAP has scheduled a conference on farmers’ solutions to climate change in Denmark ahead of the major UN climate forum in Copenhagen in November 2009.
Mr Vashee has been a leader in his home country, Zambia, for more than 20 years.

He is a dairy and crop farmer, growing maize and soybeans. He has national roles in the dairy processing sector and has also given farmers a say in the economic direction of their country through the Zambia Business Forum.