By consuming a healthier diet, we can prevent one in every five deaths around the world, or the loss of around 11 million lives every year. It affects nearly every economy in the world and not exclusively the lower- and middle-income economiesJakarta (ANTARA) - An inspiring young scientist, specializing in connecting agriculture and food systems with sustainability and nutrition to achieve better human health and well-being, has won this year’s APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (ASPIRE).
Dr Jessica Bogard, a dietitian and public health nutritionist from Australia, bagged the award for her research focused on boosting the potential of underutilized local and indigenous food to reduce malnutrition, particularly among pregnant women and young children, according to a release issued by the APEC Secretariat and received here on Wednesday.
"By consuming a healthier diet, we can prevent one in every five deaths around the world, or the loss of around 11 million lives every year. It affects nearly every economy in the world and not exclusively the lower- and middle-income economies," Dr Bogard noted.
"Agriculture and food systems are facing a complex challenge of having to not only feed the world but to also nourish people, and my research aims to bridge this gap," she affirmed.
Bogard has pioneered the development of a database on nutritional quality covering over 50 species of fish and aquatic food and found that certain indigenous species of fish are rich sources of a multitude of micronutrients, but their availability is declining.
The scientist has worked with local communities and research partners to improve the production of these nutritious food sources and to empower communities to produce healthy food products based entirely on local ingredients.
It has resulted in the successful development of products that have equal or better nutritional quality while concurrently providing livelihoods by building local supply chains and promoting traditional food culture.
"Through increasing women’s access to low-cost and simple harvesting methods, we are able to increase the frequency and quantity of fish being consumed in vulnerable households," Bogard pointed out.
"I hope to be able to spread more awareness and visibility about the importance of nutrition, so that we can scale up approaches in agriculture and sustainable food systems to reduce malnutrition globally,” she remarked.
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"I also seek to motivate more women and girls to pursue a career in science wherein we can play a part in solving some of the world’s greatest challenges," she affirmed.
Dr Bogard was selected from a group of 12 finalists, each nominated by one of the APEC member economies under the 2021 ASPIRE themed, "Diverse Knowledge for a Sustainable Future."
Nominees, all under 40 years of age, were considered on the basis of their commitment to both excellence in scientific research as evidenced by scholarly publication and cooperation with scientists from APEC economies.
"The extent of Dr Bogard’s research is far-reaching, providing practical solutions to improve human health through research and improve agriculture and food system as well as respect local knowledge," according to Daniel Dufour, chair of the APEC Policy Partnership for Science, Technology and Innovation, which oversees the prize.
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"The work of all ASPIRE nominees this year has been inspiring and valuable for APEC as we pursue a sustainable and inclusive recovery and improve the region’s resiliency," Dufour stated.
The winner was announced during the APEC Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation meeting hosted by New Zealand last week. For her achievement, Dr Bogard was awarded a prize of US$25 thousand, supported by Wiley and Elsevier.
“We continue to see excellence, innovation, and commitment to diverse knowledge by talented scientists in the APEC region," Executive Vice President of Wiley Research Judy Verses stated.
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"Dr Bogard’s work represents a remarkable achievement in the public health sector and shows the powerful impact of scientific research on society," she added.
"Through her research, Dr Bogard showed dedication, scientific talent, and practical knowledge in solving the current issue of malnutrition and developing sustainable solutions to public health and challenges, in particular, working with vulnerable communities in low- and middle-income economies," Chairman of Elsevier YoungSuk Chi stated.
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Reporter: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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