Martin Kumar

Prof Martin Kumar is an international Fisheries Expert who worked for the Ministry of Primary Industries and Resources, Government of South Australia for 21 years and was the Leader and Principal Scientist of the Integrated Biosystems Program. Since 2011, Prof Kumar focused mainly on undertaking consultancies in Fisheries and Environmental Management areas for the World Bank and FAO while also being an Adjunct Professor at the Flinders University of South Australia. On 1 July 2011, the United Nations (UN) Committee on World Food Security (CFS) appointed Prof Kumar as a member of the 1st High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) steering committee on Food Security and Nutrition. Major strengths of Prof Kumar are a combined academic qualifications and experience in Applied Science/ Technology and Management/ Leadership. He has taken part in completing over 30 major projects focusing on enhancing primary production and economic improvement, including projects supported by the World Bank, FAO, AusAID and ACIAR and has over 135 scientific publications. In 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Government of Vietnam awarded him with the prestigious medal for outstanding contribution to aquaculture development towards food security and poverty reduction. In May 2010, Prof Kumar and his team received an intergovernmental award for outstanding project achievement presented by AusAID, Australian Government Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and MARD, Government of Vietnam under Collaboration for Agricultural and Rural Development Program (CARD).