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World Solve is a public institutional repository for identifying real unresolved problems across science, society, health, governance, economics, and local systems. Each entry is intended to be citable, inspectable, and actionable.
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4194Total
4194Open
0Solved
9Humans
Health systems built around infectious disease are not equipped for chronic care, and screening tools are scarce outside cities. Affordable point-of-care diagnostics and community health worker training could close the gap.
health-biology
africa
infectious-disease
non-communicable
diseases
like
diabetes
hypertension
rising
fast
but
underdiagnosed
health
global-unspecified
whether
society-governance
systems
affordable
Fewer than 1.4 psychiatrists exist per 100,000 people in many countries, leaving depression and trauma largely untreated. Telepsychiatry platforms and trained lay counselors could extend coverage cheaply.
health-biology
africa
mental-health
mental
health
services
almost
absent
fewer
psychiatrists
exist
per
global-unspecified
remains
access
african
depression
Weak regulatory enforcement lets fake antimalarials and antibiotics reach patients, worsening drug resistance and deaths. Blockchain-based drug verification and stronger customs screening are promising solutions.
health-biology
africa
blockchain
counterfeit
substandard
medicines
circulate
widely
african
markets
drug
weak
regulatory
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
economics-resources
open
Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa
Unreliable electricity spoils vaccines before they reach children, contributing to preventable disease outbreaks. Solar-powered refrigeration units and route-optimized delivery apps could fix last-mile gaps.
health-biology
africa
sub-saharan-africa
vaccine
cold-chain
logistics
fail
remote
african
clinics
unreliable
electricity
spoils
vaccines
cold
chain
closing
local-regional
open
Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa
These diseases receive little research funding despite affecting hundreds of millions, because they mainly impact low-income populations. Cheap diagnostics and mass drug administration logistics need innovation.
health-biology
africa
sub-saharan-africa
diseases
neglected
tropical
like
schistosomiasis
onchocerciasis
persist
poor
communities
these
diagnostics
global-unspecified
low
cost
treatments
Medical brain drain to Europe and the Gulf worsens staff shortages, especially in rural clinics. Task-shifting to trained community health workers and telemedicine could partially offset shortages.
health-biology
africa
has
fewer
doctors
per
000
people
countries
shortages
medical
social-civic-problems
rural
task
shifting
designing
health
remains
open
United States, North America
Many rural African hospitals cannot afford or stock effective antivenom, and misdiagnosis is common. Regional antivenom manufacturing hubs and diagnostic training could save lives.
health-biology
north-america
united-states
antivenom
snakebite
envenoming
kills
thousands
yearly
but
scarce
expensive
rural
global-unspecified
philosophy-ethics
africa
african
remains
Poor storage, lack of cold chains, and bad rural roads mean food rots before reaching markets even amid hunger. Low-cost solar cold storage and mobile market-linkage apps are viable business opportunities.
climate-environment
africa
food
post-harvest
losses
destroy
african
production
storage
cold
poor
lack
local-regional
local
vendors
without
might
actors
Banks see agriculture as too risky, leaving over 60% of African farmers without formal financing for seeds or equipment. Mobile-based micro-lending and weather-index insurance startups can fill this gap.
economics-resources
africa
farmers
insurance
smallholder
lack
access
affordable
credit
banks
see
agriculture
african
global-unspecified
climate-environment
Decades of overfarming without replenishment have depleted nutrients, and fertilizer remains too costly for most smallholders. Affordable soil-testing kits and precision fertilizer blending could reverse the trend.
climate-environment
africa
soil
degradation
reducing
crop
yields
continent
fertilizer
decades
overfarming
replenishment
global-unspecified
philosophy-ethics
affordable
whether
way
determine
Many farmers, especially women, lack formal land titles, making it risky to invest in irrigation or trees. Digital land registries using satellite mapping could formalize ownership quickly and cheaply.
technology-computing
africa
land
tenure
insecurity
discourages
long-term
farm
investment
farmers
especially
women
society-governance
economics-resources
global-unspecified
communities
fraud
african
Weak monitoring networks mean swarms are often detected only after major damage occurs. AI-based satellite tracking combined with SMS alerts to farmers could enable faster response.
science-space
africa
east-africa
locust
pest
outbreaks
regularly
devastate
crops
little
early
warning
weak
global-unspecified
climate-environment
social-civic-problems
rural
flash
Weak coastal surveillance lets unlicensed vessels strip fish stocks that local communities depend on. Low-cost satellite and drone monitoring systems could help enforce maritime boundaries.
science-space
africa
fisheries
african
waters
being
depleted
illegal
foreign
trawling
weak
coastal
communities
fishing
economics-resources
systems
society-governance
global-unspecified
Import dependency and poor local production capacity make fertilizer unaffordable for most smallholders. Local phosphate and nitrogen production ventures could sharply cut costs.
economics-resources
africa
fertilizer
prices
among
highest
world
relative
income
local
production
global-unspecified
society-governance
african
remains
climate-environment
affordable
access
Agriculture is seen as low-status and low-income work despite employing over half the continent's workforce. Agri-tech startups that make farming profitable and tech-enabled could reverse this trend.
economics-resources
africa
food-security
farming
youth
abandoning
urban
migration
threatening
future
food
security
agriculture
global-unspecified
climate-environment
haven
water
rural
High tariffs, poor logistics, and inconsistent standards mean African countries often import food from overseas instead of neighbors. Digital trade platforms aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area could unlock this market.
economics-resources
africa
trade
cross-border
agricultural
remains
extremely
low
african
high
tariffs
global-unspecified
digital
technology-computing
systems
Most crop research targets temperate climates, leaving African staples like sorghum and cassava under-optimized for drought and heat. More localized plant-breeding research is needed urgently.
climate-environment
africa
african
climate-resilient
seed
varieties
underdeveloped
crops
research
crop
targets
temperate
systems
global-unspecified
technology-computing
resilient
society-governance
open
Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa
Grid expansion is slow and costly in rural areas, leaving businesses and schools without power. Decentralized solar mini-grids and pay-as-you-go solar startups are proven, scalable solutions.
social-civic-problems
africa
sub-saharan-africa
over
600
million
africans
lack
access
reliable
electricity
solar
grid
rural
climate-environment
solutions
global-unspecified
african
open
United States, North America
Most African households still cook with wood or charcoal, causing respiratory disease and deforestation. Affordable clean cookstoves and biogas systems need wider distribution networks.
climate-environment
north-america
united-states
air-pollution
deforestation
household
air
pollution
cooking
fuels
causes
hundreds
thousands
deaths
yearly
affordable
global-unspecified
health-biology
High upfront capital costs and weak grid infrastructure deter renewable energy investment despite ideal conditions. Innovative financing models and mini-grid interconnection standards could accelerate deployment.
climate-environment
africa
renewable-energy
vast
solar
wind
potential
remains
largely
untapped
high
upfront
systems
energy
global-unspecified
society-governance
infrastructure
methods
