Howard Shapiro wants to end the problem of stunting. He defines stunting as the condition of an individual being unable to better themselves neurologically, physically or economically. These individuals can never reach their full potential or move past their birth circumstances.
Much of Africa and India are affected by stunting, and seven percent of the US population. Shapiro is working with a large team of scientists to greatly improve the nutrition of the African continent. He says that modern agriculture has become fixated on achieving the best yield instead of the most nutrition.
To achieve this massive goal Howard worked with a team of African scientists to identify the 101 important plants that will allow Africa to be sustainable. The team is working to map the genomes of these 101 plants, starting from the seeds and going deep inside to the DNA of the plants.
https://www.solveforx.com/moonshots/howard-shapiro-ending-stunting-in-africa
Shapiro frames the plants in terms of data. The genomes are data that possess addresses of information, and by knowing all of the addresses these genomes can be reconfigured to maximize nutritional value and sustainability.
The African Orphan Crops Consortium was founded in 2011 and the African Plant Breeding Academy opened in December 2013. 250 plant breeders will be trained at the institute to map and then grow the 101 plants. Shapiro says that these plant breeders are the future of Africa.
Mapping the genome of 101 different plants is a heavy undertaking. Shapiro is trying to improve the life of thirty seven percent of the population of Africa. He has incredibly ambitious goals but the plan in place to meet the goals is equally impressive.
Throughout every step of the process the team has ensured that the work is done by African nationals and done to the will of the African people. All of the data generated will be in the public domain, and to access the information a user has to promise that they will never attempt to own the genome information.
https://www.solveforx.com/moonshots/howard-shapiro-ending-stunting-in-africa