Speaker: Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted (PhD), Director, Nutrition, Health and Food Security Impact Area Platform, CGIAR; and 2021 World Food Prize Laureate
Global hunger and malnutrition rates have been increasing, exacerbated by disruptions, including climate change, conflicts and COVID-19. These disruptions have reversed the progress we have made towards achieving Agenda 2030, especially meeting the targets of SDG 2: Zero Hunger. There is growing recognition, backed by scientific data, on the potential and role of aquatic foods in transforming food systems to nourish people and planet. Aquatic food systems provide food and nutrition security and livelihood opportunities for over three billion people, globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Studies have shown that aquatic foods have lower economic and environmental costs, when compared to land-based foods. A paradigm shift, to diversify and build resilience in aquatic food systems, is necessary to optimize the reach of aquatic foods in nourishing people and planet. This requires strong commitments by food systems enablers, including governments and policymakers, research institutions, the private sector, and local communities.
Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted is the Director for Nutrition, Health and Food Security Impact Area Platform, CGIAR. She was previously the Global Lead for Nutrition and Public Health at WorldFish. She was awarded the 2021 World Food Prize for her ground-breaking research, critical insights, and landmark innovations in developing holistic, nutrition-sensitive approaches to aquatic food systems. She was awarded the 2021 Arrell Global Food Innovation Award for research innovation. She is a member of the Steering Committee of the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) of the United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS), and member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub. She was Vice Chair of the UN Food Systems Summit 2021: Action Track 4 - Advance Equitable Livelihoods, and also a Food Systems Champion. In 2022, Shakuntala was appointed co-chair of the EAT-Lancet 2.0 Commission. Shakuntala holds a PhD from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark, and also holds Honorary Doctorates from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and The University of the West Indies.
The talk will be followed by an online Q&A session.
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