Fast Company has posted an interesting article today about a joint collaboration between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Chinese government that plans to address rising food demands with a series of agricultural and biotechnological initiatives. Through global health products and research and development, the two hope to increase agricultural yields and improve the quality of life for people in some of the poorest regions of the country. Likely candidates for project include “disease vaccines, new diagnostic tests for tuberculosis and other diseases, and development of new varieties of crops and livestock.
Such initiatives have played a prominent role in the projects offered to students enrolled in the ESTEEM program. Diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis have contributed to a global health crisis for many countries around the globe. Annie Kotz was able to work with Dr. Chia Chang on a device that was specifically intended to diagnose Tuberculosis. Helping farmers raise healthier livestock introduces more goods to the market while potentially tackling the global hunger that exists in region—making the initiative a win-win for everyone involved.