Product/Service Development

!nspiraFarms will reduce health burden caused by food-borne diseases through scalable, low-cost food safety certification technologies. For more information visit http://www.adam.org.gt

Diarrhea is a leading cause of death among children in most low-income countries. Outbreaks of diarrhea are closely related to an abundance of houseflies and research has shown that control of houseflies may have a substantial impact on diarrhea incidences. Innovators at Ifakara Health Institute will introduce a baited fly-trap as a sustainable and effective tool to reduce the transmission of related infections by controlling houseflies in slums and rural areas. The traps will be combined with increasing community awareness of houseflies to optimally locate fly-traps.

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of childhood mortality worldwide. The majority of these deaths could be prevented with ORS and zinc, however weak supply chains and other factors often limit access to these essential medicines. Rohit Ramchandani is a Doctor of Public Health candidate at Johns Hopkins, Principal at Antara Global Health Advisors and Public Health Advisor at ColaLife, an organization that is testing to what extent piggy-backing ORS and Zinc on the Coca-Cola supply chain can improve access for children living in rural parts of the developing world.

The Micronutrient Initiative's Co-Packaging for treatment of Diarrhea with Zinc + ORS and Zinc + Antibiotics for Pneumonia in Guatemala project uses social marketing to create caregiver demand for ORS and zinc for managing childhood diarrhea to establish the most effective way to scale-up ORS and zinc.

In Bolivia, 33% of women of childbearing age, 59.8% of children under five and 78% of children under two have anemia. Iron deficiency affects more than 50% of the indigenous population and 80% of indigenous children under two.  At least 11% of young children in Bolivia suffer from Vitamin A deficiency.  This project will produce a cultivation and consumption plan for green cañahua plants (Chenopodium pallidicaule Allen) to increase the availability of high-quality protein, iron, calcium and Vitamin A in the diet of women and children in highland regions.

In Haiti, many women and children suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, and the growth of 20% of children is stunted. This project aims to build the capacity of a local social enterprise to bring to market a fortified infant cereal that meets the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The key to success is the integrated approach with the development of a business plan and social marketing strategy that will engage local stakeholders to strengthen the supply chain by improving agricultural practices, production, marketing and distribution of the cereal.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, malnourishment affects the growth, brain development and cognitive ability of millions of children. Infants that do not receive enough omega-3 fatty acids in the womb are at the risk of developing vision and nerve problems. This project will create a source of low-cost omega-3-fatty acid eggs.

Hundreds of edible species of ants, beetles, moths and other insects, rich in protein and iron (see http://bit.ly/1qam0HU), are only seasonally available for millions of people who consume them. This project will develop and distribute insect farming technologies to make this cheap, nutritious and safe food source available for year-round consumption in Kenya's slum conditions, reducing malnutrition and high rates of anemia, especially among pregnant women.

Using a device/technology that enables small-scale millers to fortify staple flours with iron and vitamin A at the local milling level, we'll improve the micronutrient health of over 500 million children/women in Africa who can't access to fortified foods.

In Tanzania, children under age two consume too little iron-rich food and anemia is widespread - about 81%. This project will supplement complimentary food with locally available Moringa Oleifera tree leaves powder, rich in essential nutrients (including Vitamin A) for improved health.