Fighting Hunger in Africa with Geneious Prime

Cassava is a plant with starchy roots and protein-rich leaves that feeds nearly a billion people worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa, 500 million people rely on cassava for their daily calories, and smallholder farmers grow cassava to feed their families and to sell at market for income.

This nutrient rich crop is under attack by pesticide-resistant whiteflies. Whiteflies destroy the leaves of cassava and transmit viruses to the plants, causing cassava brown streak disease and cassava mosaic disease which kill the plants.

When plants are infected with these viruses, an entire growing season can give no crop, devastating smallholder farmers and leading to more hunger and food insecurity.