WHO reports show that more than 3 million people died from alcohol-related illness in 2016, yet low-cost interventions to measure how much people drink can lead to major reductions in heavy consumption. The EU-funded SCALA project promises significant results by introducing some of these techniques in Latin America.
Even for populations that already had access to landlines, smartphones have revolutionised work and play. Imagine how they could transform life in isolated communities that may currently rely just on rare radio contacts… An EU-funded project developed a low-cost way to provide 3G coverage in remote areas, along with a new business case for operators.
From tackling poverty, climate change and environmental degradation to preserving cultural heritage and agricultural sustainability, crop diversity is integral to solving some of the greatest challenges on the planet. An EU-backed research effort has made agrobiodiversity conservation in the Andean region its business. The hope is that crops like tarwi, amaranth, cañahua, arracacha, yacón and isaño could one day become household names as quinoa is today.
The EU-funded project G2P-SOL is gathering, improving and disseminating genetic and phenotypic information on key food crops like potato and tomato. This information can be used in farming to improve the productivity of such crops and provide healthier food.
With EU backing, an international team has developed a unique bespoke - modular yet integrated - solution for reusing wastewater in remote and/or water-stressed communities. The patented technologies are being piloted in locations where water is a precious commodity for agriculture or in the conservation of natural freshwater ecosystems.
To answer the question of why diabetic patients are more susceptible to developing tuberculosis, the EU-funded TANDEM project linked leading European laboratories with field sites in TB-endemic countries such as Indonesia.
An EU-funded project is exploring the cultural, scientific and social dimensions of Europe4s relations with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) through the study of museums. This should preserve community heritage and support EU-LAC cooperation.
An EU-funded project is investigating protein-rich crops in Europe as attractive alternatives to meat - a means to reduce the environmental impact of livestock on the planet and provide farmers with a new source of income.
The answer to future global food challenges may well come from the past. Since the 1960's, diets in many Western countries have relied heavily on meat. But with global food demand soars set to soar by 70 percent by 2050, other sources of high-quality proteins are needed.