Presented by UI Charitable — What if solving malnutrition didn’t require changing people’s diets—but simply improving what they’re already eating?

In this episode, Curt Bowen, Executive Director of Semilla Nueva, joins Todd Manwaring to share how his nonprofit is tackling one of the world’s most stubborn and invisible challenges: chronic malnutrition. But instead of focusing on behavior change—often the hardest part of social interventions—Semilla Nueva starts with a food that millions already eat every day: corn.

Through a natural process called biofortification, they’ve created a seed that’s cheaper, tastes better, and is packed with the nutrients children need to thrive—without asking farmers or families to change their habits.

You’ll also learn:

• Why malnutrition is a root cause of generational poverty—and how it limits children’s brain development and future earning potential
• How Semilla Nueva scales impact by aligning with incentives farmers already care about (like yield and income)
• What it really takes to shift from good intentions to proven impact, and why RCTs (Randomized Controlled Trials) matter

Links from this episode:

Donate to Semilla Nueva: https://semillanueva.org/donate/

Find other effective social impact organizations here: https://www.uicharitable.org/vetted-organizations