Media Advisory - For Immediate Press Release

The Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific will host an international conference entitled “Confronting the Food Crisis and Climate Change” to be held from the 27th-29th September at the Copthorne Orchid Hotel in Penang, Malaysia. The conference will feature over 100 participants representing countries from the Asia Pacific region, Africa, North America and Europe.
The conference will also feature a Biodiversity Bazaar open to the public on the 27th September at the Copthorne Hotel. The Bazaar will be held from 1-4pm and will showcase local foods, handicrafts, and entertainment as well as provide information on PAN AP’s Year of Rice Action campaign.
The world is in the throes of what is turning out to be one of the worst global recessions of the century. This was preceded by the Rice Crisis and Food Crisis of 2008, which resulted in food riots in many countries. Paradoxically, this is happening in a world that produces enough food for all people, and is being compounded by the interrelated problem of global climate change.

According to the United Nations, Asia is particularly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters. The effects have already been seen in the form of flooding, unpredictable rains, droughts, rising sea levels, hurricanes, mudslides and other climate variations. The impact on food producers is staggering, with small farmers, pastoralists, fisherfolk, peasants and gatherers among the worst affected.
Recognizing the urgent need to address these issues and come up with solutions that strengthen people’s movements, food sovereignty and climate justice, the conference will feature the following specific objectives:

• To analyze the causes and impacts of the food crisis and climate change from the people's perspective and to share the responses of people's movements (namely, peasants, agricultural workers, indigenous peoples, rural women, fisherfolk, and consumers).
• To critically analyze the role and responses of transnational corporations, multilateral institutions, bilateral agreements, IFIs and governments in the food and climate crises.
• To identify critical areas for regional and global action.
• To develop collective strategies to address the critical areas.
• To build solidarity and unity among people's movements in addressing the crises.

For further information please contact:
Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP)
P.O. Box 1170, 10850 Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +604-6570271/6560381
Fax: +604-6583960
Email: panap@panap.net
Email: sarojeni.rengam@panap.net
Email: voltaire.tupaz@panap.net