Dietary Diversity and Biofortification: Closer Than You Think
Some 2 billion people suffer from hidden hunger caused by infections and diets lacking in essential micronutrients such as vitamin A, iron, and zinc. This is particularly the case in the developing world, where diets mainly consist of starchy staples and not enough nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans and pulses, and animal source foods. But what if those food staples that people eat regularly were made to work toward better nutrition? And how does that fit with the need for dietary diversification?
 
To End Malnutrition, We Must Step up to the Plate with Data on What People Eat
Attempts to modify food systems in ways that are more supportive of good nutrition have been stymied by a lack of relevant data. Two initiatives—the annual global nutrition report and the global panel on agriculture and food systems for nutrition – seek to address this problem by highlighting what works in improving nutrition, and pointing out where data is simply lacking. How affordable or accessible are nutrient-rich foods? What is the quality of diet and the diversity of consumption? How healthy are global food systems?
 
The Real Farmers of Tanzania
Female Food Heroes, funded by Oxfam and broadcast on East Africa TV, is a program in which 15 Tanzanian contestants perform domestic and agricultural tasks under constant TV surveillance while also learning modern farming techniques and attending workshops on activism and gender equality. By showcasing competent female breadwinners, the show hopes to challenge negative stereotypes of women and to serve as a much-needed educational tool, broadcasting the utility of modern and efficient farming methods. 
 
Viruses Can Be Genetically Modified to Transmit Energy
By changing viruses' DNA, researchers from MIT have been able to take advantage of some quirks in quantum mechanics. They tested different types of viruses in varying concentrations in a solution to show that the viruses did have a meaningful transfer of energy. And though they haven’t yet found the ideal combination, they were able to make the excitons travel at double the speed of those in existing solar cells, and to do so at much longer distances. The result could be solar panels that transmit energy with unprecedented efficiency.
 
Geek Teams on Two Continents Write Poverty-Breaking Apps for Kenya                                                            Hundreds of Kenyan and Canadian geeks will compete over Skype in a unique 28-hour 'hackathon' to develop apps to improve rural Kenyans' health, farms and access to education. New technologies brought by outsiders often fail because the donors don't understand the local context. Devs Without Borders is partnering with the iHub, the convener for the east African nation's blossoming technology community, to ensure the geeks don't make this mistake.