Modadugu Gupta, World Food Prize Laureate, Sunhak Peace Prize Laureate, WorldFish Center, Former Assistant DG

Dr. Modadugu Vijay Gupta has been involved in aquaculture and fisheries development for over 50 years in Asia, Pacific and Africa with focus on improving the incomes and nutrition of rural poor, with special focus on empowerment of rural women through simple, low-cost fish farming technologies. He is the first person in India to break the yield barrier and doubling production in aquaculture and laid the foundation for “Blue Revolution”. Dr. Gupta worked for over 30 years as Fisheries Expert/Advisor with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (UN-ESCAP), Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations (FAO of UN) and the WorldFish Center (CGIAR) and oversaw implementation of projects in over 20 countries in Asia, Pacific and Africa (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.). Besides, Dr Gupta has been consultant to many international organisations. In recognition of his pioneering work that led to improvement in livelihoods of millions of rural poor farmers and landless, Dr. Gupta received many awards and honorary degrees, most prominent among them being the World Food Prize in 2005, considered as Nobel Prize in Food and Agriculture and the Sunhak Peace Prize in 2015.

David Little, Professor, Aquatic Resources Development, University of Stirling

David Little is currently the Chair of Aquatic Resource Development and Research Director of the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling and has more than 40 years professional experience in the sector. His main research and educational interests focus around the societal impacts of aquaculture, particularly in countries where fish is a key part of the diet. From his position in the Aquaculture Systems Research Group at the Institute he has developed and coordinated a wide range of research both externally funded and through postgraduate research with a focus on Asia and Africa. He has published widely on the interface between aquatic food production, broader natural resource management and development and been a vocal advocate and practitioner of interdisciplinary systems research. He has recently played a key role in launching the Seafood Consumption Initiative at the University to better support the global challenge around maintaining and increasing highly nutritious fish in peoples’ diets.