Breaking the Wall of Food Insecurity: How Agricultural Science Minimizes Nematode Damage in Sub-Saharan Africa
Falling Walls Foundation
Nematodes, or roundworms, are highly adaptable multicellular survivors of many diverse ecologies. From an agricultural perspective, nematodes are often detrimental: they are pests that attack plants and spread viruses, causing a global crop yield loss of $125 billion annually. This 2009 Falling Walls lecture video features the research of Waceke Wanjohi, who has taught nematology for 20 years, developing academic programs and labs while publishing internationally. Wanjohi also leads projects like the Nematology Initiative of East and Southern Africa (NIESA), an organization that effectively improves crop yields in smallholder farming systems in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Zimbabwe through the use of environmentally friendly strategies for worm control. Wanjohi will present the benefits of her approach, which allows for less pesticide use and misuse, reduces food risks and environmental damages, and increases food harvest and security. (13 minutes)