{"674810":{"#nid":"674810","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Harnessing AI to Reduce Food Insecurity in Africa ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/ioanna-maria-spyrou\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EIoanna Maria Spyrou\u003C\/a\u003E, a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Economics, uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to predict food insecurity in Africa.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe hopes the tool she\u2019s developing can help policymakers and community organizations implement more timely and targeted interventions to alleviate hunger on the continent.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhy now?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENearly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ifrc.org\/emergency\/africa-hunger-crisis\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E150 million people\u003C\/a\u003E in Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to the amount and quality of food they need.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThis is primarily due to armed conflicts and more frequent droughts and natural disasters from climate change.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUnderstanding which factors impact food shortages the most can help communities plan ahead, adapt to new weather patterns, and be more resilient.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESpyrou and her advisor, Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/shatakshee-dhongde\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EShatakshee Dhongde\u003C\/a\u003E in the School of Economics, are working with data from Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia and hope to eventually expand to include more countries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s new?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther algorithms incorporate machine learning and AI to predict when and where food shortages will occur.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, Dhongde and Spyrou\u2019s approach is unique because it uses recent data from 2020 to 2023 and includes additional predictors, such as monthly data on conflict, which can be a powerful driver of food insecurity in Africa.\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003E(The Africa Center for Strategic Studies says 82% of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/africacenter.org\/spotlight\/unresolved-conflicts-continue-to-drive-africas-food-crisis\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epeople experiencing\u003C\/a\u003E hunger on the continent live in countries in conflict.). Changing weather patterns also means relying on historical data no longer gives accurate information.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy identifying which factors contribute most to food insecurity in different regions, we can adapt agricultural systems, try new strategies, and build stronger social networks and support systems,\u201d Spyrou said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhat\u2019s next?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpyrou and Dhongde are working to determine how accurately they can predict food insecurity in Africa with these inputs, and they are optimistic about the results.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey hope the tool can eventually help policymakers, aid organizations, and communities do more with less.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAI enables us to analyze these large datasets quickly and accurately and create real-time predictions,\u0022 Dhongde said. \u0022The ultimate goal is to achieve food security and end a crisis that is getting worse and worse.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers in the School of Economics hope the tool they\u0027re developing can help policymakers and community organizations implement more timely and targeted interventions to alleviate hunger on the continent.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers in the School of Economics hope the tool they\u0027re developing can help policymakers and community organizations implement more timely and targeted interventions to alleviate hunger on the continent. "}],"uid":"35766","created_gmt":"2024-05-20 15:48:57","changed_gmt":"2024-05-21 17:28:01","author":"dminardi3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674040":{"id":"674040","type":"image","title":"Democractic Republic of the Congo.png","body":null,"created":"1716220598","gmt_created":"2024-05-20 15:56:38","changed":"1716220598","gmt_changed":"2024-05-20 15:56:38","alt":"Small Village in Green Hills at Congo River, Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa","file":{"fid":"257506","name":"Democractic Republic of the Congo.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/20\/Democractic%20Republic%20of%20the%20Congo.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/20\/Democractic%20Republic%20of%20the%20Congo.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2495346,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/20\/Democractic%20Republic%20of%20the%20Congo.png?itok=0Q1A78uS"}}},"media_ids":["674040"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1282","name":"School of Economics"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:dminardi3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EDi Minardi\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["dminardi3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}