With almost 800 million people globally without enough food, at least one group is looking to college students to find world hunger solutions.

Although many things are being done to reduce these numbers, the world population is on course to reach over nine billion by 2050. Fortunately, one organization is taking a unique approach to battle the approaching issue of food security and fight world hunger.

Thought For Food (TFF) holds an annual event called the TFF Challenge where teams of university students dedicated to finding world hunger solutions through technology and innovation compete for a $10,000 grand prize to come up with a way to feed more than nine billion people by 2050. Teams are judged on the quality of their innovation, implementation, uniqueness and team spirit.

Registration is open until Oct. 31.

In the latest round of the TFF Challenge, more than 450 teams are expected to enter in hopes of being named finalists. Only 10 teams actually make it past the first round, but competitors have good incentive to be one of lucky teams that do make it beyond prize money. Competitors are also offered  valuable training and mentorship opportunities.

First, finalists enroll in an online business building course to help them improve their pitch. After they finish the business course, they are invited to TFF boot camp, where they gain startup building experience. Finally, teams go to the TFF Global Summit, where they present their ideas on stage in front of industry leaders and thinkers.

Although only ten teams enter the final round, the TFF community is available to all entrants. The TFF community, made up of past and present teams, provides an opportunity for teams to communicate, network and improve ideas with others who share a common passion.

The latest finalists of the TFF Challenge had a wide variety of ideas on solutions to world hunger and how it should be tackled. One group, Fruiti-cycle, engineered a better means of produce transportation for farmers. Another called B-Box, provides a high-tech bee hive that farmers would keep on their land. Not only would the bees produce honey for consumption, but they would significantly increase food yield through higher rates of pollination.

One team even created a cooking oil made from meal worms that is low in fat and high in nutrients. Though it may not sound appetizing, there are many undernourished people around the globe that could benefit from an enriched food.

These are just a few of the hundreds of ideas that the TFF Challenge attracts. By offering premium incentives TFF brings out the best in some of the world’s finest up-and-coming innovators. In doing so, TFF members say they hope to see the world move a little closer to finding solutions to world hunger.

– Weston Northrop

Photo: Flickr