Social Entreprenuership Project By: Cedrick Baker

Maize Disease

Proposal Problem Maize Diseases Maize (mealies or corn) form the staple food of a large proportion of the world population with a consumption of around 100 kg per capita. Maize diseases however, cause an estimated 10.9 % loss of production of this grain crop. With the increase in population coupled with a decrease in production in South Africa, from more than 5 million ha planted in the 1980's, to less than 3.5 million ha planted in the period, coupled with the effects of maize diseases, it became extremely important to find disease resistant cultivars.

Maize Disease Maize crop suffers from different pathological maladies resulting in considerable loss in yield. Symptoms of important diseases and their suitable control measures are given below. Seed Rot and Seedling Blight General symptoms of these diseases are poor emergence or patchy growth, rotting of seed in the collar region of mesocotyle, presence of red brown lesions on radicle or mesocotyle and wilting of seedlings. To control them treat the seed with 3 g of Bavistin or Thiram per kg of seed.

Solution… Since the problem of this crop disease is devastating many in South Africa a solution is to try and inform kids about the problem and allow them to start understanding the situation through something that they love to do… PLAY GAMES!!!

Solutions… The video games, provided by a non-profit that’s specializes in social entrepreneurship, will teach the kids in South Africa about the Maize Disease and teach them the harm that it causes. The games will also teach them what components makes the disease bad for crops.

Solutions… The kids will learn how to catch the disease, try to prevent the disease and maybe come up with alternatives (cures) for completely stopping the disease. These kind of games will push the kids to continue this way of thinking up into adulthood where they are expected to put even more of what they learned to helping their people

End Products…

The end products of this venture of social entrepreneurship is … Kids that are smarter about their local agriculture Kids that are learning the skill sets to help find out preventative measures for Maize Disease Possibility the end to a disease that has killed much of the crops within South Africa.

End Product… The end result of kids taking on the initiative and over time coming up with alternative measure will then put money back in the local economy bring wealth and needed economic growth to South Africa.

Conclusion… Never underestimate the power of technology and the thirst of knowledge from kids. Although this would be the first of its kind within South Africa, I feel that it is needed and would bring great crop yield, education for kids and finally economic growth. IT’S A GREAT IDEA!!!