Tech

Microsoft, Amazon, Google join fight to prevent famine

Published

6 years ago

September 23, 2018

Tech giants Microsoft , Amazon and Google are joining forces with international organizations to help identify and head off famines in developing nations using data analysis and artificial intelligence , a new initiative unveiled Sunday .
Rather than waiting to respond to a famine after many lives already have been lost , the tech firms “ will use the predictive power of data to trigger funding ” to take action before it becomes a crisis , the World Bank and United Nations announced in a joint statement.

“ The fact that millions of people — many of them children — still suffer from severe malnutrition and famine in the 21 st century is a global tragedy , ” World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said in a statement. “ We are forming an unprecedented global coalition to say , ‘ no more . ‘”

Last year more than 20 million people faced famine conditions in Nigeria , Somalia , South Sudan and Yemen , while 124 million people currently live in crisis levels of food insecurity, requiring urgent humanitarian assistance for their survival , the agencies said . Over half of them live in areas affected by conflict .

The Famine Action Mechanism ( FAM ) will provide early warning signs to identify food crises that could become famines , and trigger pre – arranged funding plans to allow early intervention .

“ If we can better predict when and where future famines will occur , we can save lives by responding earlier and more effectively , ” Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a statement.

Google , Microsoft and Amazon Web Services and other technology firms are providing expertise to develop a suite of analytical models called “ Artemis ” that uses AI and machine learning to estimate and forecast worsening food security crises in real – time . These forecasts will help guide and promote decision makers to respond earlier .

“ Artificial intelligence and machine learning hold huge promise for forecasting and detecting early signs of food shortages , like crop failures , droughts , natural disasters , and conflicts , ” Smith said .

The FAM will initially be rolled out in a small group of vulnerable countries building up to ultimately provide global coverage . On October 13 , leaders dedicated to this initiative will gather as part of the IMF – World Bank Annual Meetings in Bali, Indonesia to discuss further implementation .