Kees thrills Trini-born World Food Prize winner

Kees Dieffenthaller surprised Trinidad and Tobago-born, and citizen of Denmark, Dr Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted who received the 2021 World Food Prize at the World Food Prize Laureate Award Ceremony in Iowa State Capitol Building in Des Moines, Iowa.

On the night, Dr Thilsted was awarded for her “ground-breaking research, critical insights and landmark innovations in developing holistic, nutrition-sensitive approaches to aquaculture and food systems.”

Dieffenthaller was invited by the organisers to surprise Thilsted, who is formerly from San Fernando, where the Dieffenthaller brothers from Kes The Band grew up, said a media release from Overtime Media.

Thilsted had previously listed the band as her favourite act and Dieffenthaller did not disappoint as he performed for a gathering of over 800 people representing 75 different countries.

Shortly after performing, Dieffenthaller boarded a flight to return to New York, where he's working on completing a new album.

On the Des Moines performance Dieffenthaller said: “It was an honour to celebrate with Dr Shakuntala as she received the prestigious World Food Award for her exceptional work. Being the ‘surprise’ for her and to share a piece of our culture and music with all in attendance was pure joy. Knowing that she was grown and raised in San Fernando was very significant and special to me as well. It was my first time performing in Iowa and I give thanks for the all beautiful places music takes us expected and unexpectedly.”

The release went on to say that having begun her career as the "first and only woman in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries in Tobago," Thilsted now serves as the global lead for nutrition and public health at WorldFish – a global CGIAR research centre headquartered in Malaysia.

Her work guides WorldFish, as well as other research institutions, major funders, government agencies and public and private organisations to work together to reshape food systems to deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Young researchers whom Thilsted has mentored now use her holistic approach to increase the sustainable production and consumption of nutritious fish and fish-based foods in Asia, Africa and the Pacific.

As an adviser to heads of state, ministers, high-level panels and international boards, she provides direction for research, policies and practices in pursuit of improved food systems that boost biodiversity, enhance environments, reinforce resilient communities, increase incomes, empower women and provide adequate nutrition for all.

The release quotes Thilsted as saying, "I am truly honoured to receive the 2021 World Food Prize, and I am deeply humbled to be placed in such distinguished ranks as those of past laureates. Aside from personal joy and gratitude, as a scientist, I feel this award is an important recognition of the essential but often overlooked role of fish and aquatic food systems in agricultural research for development. Fish and aquatic foods offer life-changing opportunities for millions of vulnerable women, children, and men to be healthy and well-nourished."

Thilsted’s trailblazing research on small native fish species in Bangladesh led to the development of nutrition-sensitive approaches to aquatic food systems at all levels, from the farm to food processing to final consumers, resulting in improved diets for millions of the most vulnerable people in Asia and Africa. Nutrition-sensitive approaches place nutrition and public health at the core of how food is produced, processed, transported, priced, distributed and consumed.

Each year world-class performers take the stage to honour the World Food Prize Laureate. Past performers have included Ray Charles, John Denver, Chachi Tadesse, and Kathak Gunjan. Following the ceremony, the celebration continued at the Laureate Award Dinner, held in the Capitol Rotunda.

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