Put Nutrition on the Global Agenda

You might not realize it, but the simple sweet potato is a superhero. It has the power to reduce chronic malnutrition, a scourge that claims the lives of 3.5 million children a year, and can provide much-needed nutrients like vitamins C, A and B6 to undernourished children, helping ensure proper growth.

Although more than 7 million tons of sweet potatoes are produced each year and are widely eaten in Africa, they're not the kind that have essential nutrients. So several years ago, a Ugandan breeder developed a new orange-colored variety that is loaded with beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.

Innovations like this are flipping malnutrition on its head, but farmers in the developing world need the support of world leaders to make these and other nutrient-rich crops more widespread. Join us today in calling on them to make a measurable, meaningful commitment to reduce chronic child malnutrition for 25 million kids by 2016.