The 2016 World Food Prize went to a group that coordinated the breeding, promotion and distribution of the orange-fleshed sweet potato in Africa. One of person on the team was economist Dr. Jan Low. The sweet potato grows well in many parts of Africa. It is not the sweet potato known to westerners. It is white and dry, and more like bread than the well known Thanksgiving sweet potato. At the same time there is widespread vitamin A deficiency, especially among children. Could the orange sweet potato help solve a critical micronutrient deficiency? Dr. Low and her team introduced the orange fleshed sweet potato to Africa, breeding them against locally adapted varieties. The new potatoes were introduced with marketing campaigns, helping introduce new populations to this novel product. Soon, the orange fleshed sweet potato was aiding the diet, saving lives, and creating new entrepreneurial opportunities for African farmers and commerce.
Talking Biotech is a weekly podcast that uncovers the stories, ideas and research of people at the frontier of biology and engineering.
Each episode explores how science and technology will transform agriculture, protect the environment, and feed 10 billion people by 2050.
Interviews are led by Dr. Kevin Folta, a professor of molecular biology and genomics.