Technology and farming always have mixed well in the United States, but in many other countries, particularly in the underdeveloped world, it’s a different story. Why does it matter, and what can be done about it? Richard Miles interviews Gbola Adesogan, Director of the Livestock Systems Innovation Lab at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS).

TRANSCRIPT:

Intro: 0:01

Inventors and their inventions. Welcome to Radio Cade a podcast from the Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention in Gainesville, Florida. The museum is named after James Robert Cade, who invented Gatorade in 1965. My name is Richard Miles. We'll introduce you to inventors and the things that motivate them, we'll learn about their personal stories, how their inventions work, and how their ideas get from the laboratory to the marketplace.

Richard Miles: 0:39

Technology and farming always has mixed well in the United States, but in many other countries, particularly in the underdeveloped world, it's a different story. Why does it matter and what can be done about it? I'm your host, Richard Miles, and today on radio Cade, I'm pleased to welcome Gbola Adesogan, a professor at the University of Florida and director of the livestock systems innovation lab at the university's Institute of food and agricultural sciences, otherwise known as IFAS. Welcome to Radio Cade, Gbola.

Gbola Adesogan: 1:05

Thank you.

Richard Miles: 1:06

So, Gbola, you develop technologies that improve livestock production in eight African and Asian countries, and this is paid for in part by the U.S. government. So I think the first thing we need to explain to our listeners is why is a university in North central Florida working on improving agricultural technologies in African nation ?

Gbola Adesogan: 1:25

Okay, thank you for that question. And thank you for this opportunity. I think we're all aware about a growing global population, the problems of poverty and hunger, and in many countries, what many of us may not be aware of is the problem of hidden hunger, which is when people lack certain nutrients in their diets that prevent them from reaching their potential. And this malnutrition deficiency or stunting is something which is prevalent in many developing countries. And we have come to realize the research has shown that a deficiency of these certain key nutrients causes lifelong problems. It's Tom's physical development, as well as cognitive development. So children are less able to do well in school. Their test scores are much lower. Their IQs are much lower and more susceptible to diseases and so on. And we have come to realize that the nutrients which are missing in the diets of those children, which caused this problem are present in livestock products. And we have a longstanding department of animal sciences and a community at UF, a community of researchers who have experience in developing technologies that can help to prevent this problem, improve livestock production, improve the supply of these missing nutrients in the diet. So we, as a team of , uh , several faculty across different units at the University of Florida, most of us from IFAS, collectively submitted a proposal to manage this livestock systems innovation lab, which has at its core, a vision to sustainably intensify livestock production, so that we can improve the nutrition, the health, the incomes, and the livelihoods of the poor in these eight countries.

Richard Miles: 3:14

If we could define livestock, is it just large animals are talking about or does go al