Iowa State University researchers have been part of an international effort to improve the health of small poultry flocks of indigenous types of chickens that provide meat, eggs and income-producing opportunities important for food security in Africa.

Alex Hobbs, a Ph.D. candidate in agricultural and resource economics at UC Davis, learned to code so he could build an app to help women in Kenya make decisions about livestock insurance. SimPastoralist lets families facing drought learn firsthand how livestock insurance works. Game data also offers insights on designing index insurance to respond to women’s needs.