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World Food Prize Winner Advocates for People-Centric, Sustainable Food Systems
6 Nov
Summary
- Nutrition expert Shakuntala Thilsted calls for food systems that nourish people and planet
- Emphasizes combining AI and traditional knowledge to transform global food systems
- Kerala government declares eradication of extreme poverty, promotes scientific temper in education
In November 2025, Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, a renowned nutrition expert and the winner of the 2021 World Food Prize, called for a people-centered approach to food systems that can "nourish both people and planet." Thilsted, who currently serves as the Director for Nutrition, Health and Food Security Impact Area Platform at CGIAR, was speaking at the International Conference on Agrarian Change organized by the Foundation for Agrarian Studies (FAS) in Kovalam, Kerala.
Thilsted emphasized the need to work towards dietary diversity by leveraging the seasonality of foods to ensure availability and affordability. She also stressed the importance of combining novel technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) with traditional knowledge in agriculture, stating that "Using big data and AI without the integration of indigenous knowledge and practices, we are missing out a big part of the knowledge that we have to ensure that our food systems nourish people."
The conference also featured a pre-recorded inaugural speech by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who described the state's November 1 declaration on the eradication of extreme poverty as a significant historical milestone. Vijayan noted that this achievement was the culmination of a process that began with the renaissance movement and comprehensive changes in agrarian relations. The state government, he added, also emphasizes the inculcation of scientific temper in school and university syllabi.
Other speakers at the conference included S. Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, who underlined the importance of leveraging advances in science and technology for progress in the agriculture sector. Luciano Rezende Moreira, a professor from the Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro, drew parallels between the agricultural systems of India and Brazil, highlighting the need to reconcile technological advancement with environmental preservation.
