A Sudanese family sit in the shadow while they dry sorghum in Akuem village in the southern Sudan. REUTERS/David Mwangi RSS/TY
The Sorghum Plant That Could Tackle Blindness
Vitamin A deficiency, which afflicts 250 million children worldwide, is the leading cause of preventable blindness and increases the risk of disease and death from severe infections. In Kenya, scientists are developing biofortified sorghum, a staple crop that has been genetically modified to contain higher levels of Vitamin A. Improving the nutritional level of staple crops can provide both food and nutritional security.
In Sri Lanka's Tea Paradise, a Social Enterprise Is Brewing
Amba Estate is a tea operation that shares 10% of its revenues with its workers. That's a novel approach in Sri Lanka, a country that's one of the world's largest exporters of tea—an industry that employs more than 1 million of its 22 million residents. Amba Estate’s goal was to create a for-profit social enterprise that could create long-term employment in the region.
Technology Hits the Fields
As corporate investors start putting their money into ag tech startups, shoppers might just start seeing a lot more fresh crops at their local stores, even in the dead of winter. Ag tech—from hobbyist to huge commercial farms—is taking off. In fact, according to the Boston Consulting Group, venture capital firms have upped their ag tech investments by 80% since 2012.
US Approves 3 Types of Genetically Engineered Potatoes
Three types of potatoes genetically engineered to resist the pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine are safe for the environment and safe to eat, according to the EPA and FDA. The company that developed them said the potatoes contain only potato genes. There is no evidence that GMOs are unsafe to eat, but changing the genetic code of foods presents an ethical issue for some.