ICT for food and environmental security in Africa
Simone Sala Postdoctoral Research Scholar at Columbia University
Senior Research Fellow at MIT Interna=onal Development Ini=a=ve
March 21, 2013 Interna>onal Centre for Theore>cal Physics (ICTP) – Trieste, Italy
Wireless Networking for Science in Africa Workshop
Index 1. Introduc>on: state of the art in ICT4D
2. Partnerships in ICT4D: opportuni>es for broader impact
3. ICT contribu>on to Food Security & ARD a. Climate-‐smarter agriculture b. Smallholder-‐inclusive value chains c. High-‐poten>al ICT applica>ons for FS & ARD
4. ICT contribu>on to Environmental Security a. What is Environmental Security b. Why does it maUer for Africa? c. How can ICT help?
ICT4D: where are we?
• Widespread expansion of ICT access figures – Cheaper access to mobile/broadband services – Improved ease of use
• Rise of the social web
• Mobile phones as the personal gateway for work/life
1
ICT4D: where are we? (Let’s not forget ICT4D Dark side..)
1
ICT4D: where are we? (Let’s not forget ICT4D Dark side..)
• “Widespread expansion of ICT access figures” – S>ll, various kinds of digital divides
• “Rise of the social web” and par>cipa>on – Content issues?
• Devices’ availability (e.g. mobile phones) – Waste management issues? – Rush to natural resources to build devices?
• Prolifera>on of portals, lack of sustainability and proven impact – ‘Solu>ons seeking problems’ approach
• ICT feeding inequali>es at various levels
1
ICT4D: where do we go now?
• Horizontal ICT4D is likely to split in ver>cal sub-‐sectors – ICT for Educa>on, Health, Governance, Agriculture, Natural Resources
Management, Conflict Preven>on/Resolu>on…
• Technology will become the minor limi>ng factor in ICT4D ini>a>ves
• Web 2.0 ICT4D: from social conversa>on to engagement to impact-‐driven social networking
• Borders likely to blur: Research/Prac>ce, Profit/NonProfit, Public/Private, North/South
1
ICT4D: where do we go now? (i.e. implica>on for Professionals/ORGs)
• Reposi>oning in appropriate ICT4D niches – ICT for AgriFood likely to grow in figures and expand across Developed/
Developing regions
• Rising importance of Facilita>on/Media>on skills in ICT4D projects – Among must-‐haves: credibility with partners, capacity to catalyze ac>on of
stakeholders from different fields, ability to shape relevant informa>on flows, power to develop local-‐to-‐global value-‐added networks
• Survival of the fiUest: quickest and most engaged organiza>ons – Strengthen social presence to enable broader impact and expanded reach of
ICT4D programmes – Social Networks to spot and surf big waves (of innova>on)
1
Partnerships in ICT(4D): key for success
Public
Non & Inter-‐ GOs
Private ICT(4D) Player
Na>onal/Local level: Increase organiza>onal efficiency/
effec>veness
Regional level: Foster integra>on of infrastructure, markets, aid ini>a>ves
Global level: Set up open data repositories and link them to
researchers/developers/companies
HEIs
2
Partnerships in ICT(4D): key for success
Public
Non & Inter-‐ GOs
Private ICT(4D) Player
Private sector doing non-‐profit: facilita>ng knowledge sharing
Private sector doing business: increasing efficiency (market integra>on, value-‐chain op>miza>on)
Private sector doing both: Innova>on/Tech hubs
HEIs
2
Partnerships in ICT(4D): key for success
Public
Non & Inter-‐ GOs
Private ICT(4D) Player
Advocacy Awareness raising
HEIs
2
Partnerships in ICT(4D): key for success
Public
Non & Inter-‐ GOs
Private ICT(4D) Player
HEIs Systema>za>on & Innova>on
Broader impact
Not only efficiency, > insights too
2
ICT contribu>ons to Agricultural & Rural Development (ICT4ARD): interac>ons
Food Security
Climate-‐smart Agriculture
Smallholder-‐inclusive value
chains
3
Case #1: ICT for climate-‐smart agriculture
ICT can be a catalyzer for: • Awareness raising on global/local climate issues
– Dissemina>on of climate change awareness messages via low/high tech
• Monitoring of climate parameters and climate-‐driven natural resources – Smartphone, sensors, remote sensing integra>on as a two-‐way channel for
monitoring • Climate change Mi=ga=on
– Support establishment of mi>ga>on prac>ces, track impact of carbon sequestra>on ini>a>ves
• Adapta=on to climate change – Informa>on systems to map vulnerabili>es, strengthen agricultural system
resilience to shocks, disseminate short-‐term informa>on, share knowledge A system approach to climate-‐smart agriculture
3a
Case #2: Smallholders-‐inclusive value chains via ICTs
Producers AgriBusiness Companies
Sustainable Partnership
ICT-‐powered strategies: a catalyzer to make local system compe>>ve • Include trusted channels and InfoMediaries
– Capacity strengthening – Technology adop>on – Community ownership mechanisms
• Set up ad hoc Communica>on systems (i.e. monitor produc>on, facilitate transac>ons, enable traceability, support branding)
• Integrate management tools (e.g. logis>cs, process management)
3b
Shaping the future: examples of high-‐poten>al ICT applica>ons for FS/ARD
• Big Data for improving weather insurance • Gamifica>on approaches applied to Development issues • From Knowledge to Geo-‐Knowledge to support Extension services
• Cloud compu>ng for improving efficiency, reducing >me-‐to-‐market, increasing income – Link: hUp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snZPevfRuus
3c
Big Data for climate-‐smart agriculture, food security and smallholder-‐inclusive value chains
• Next Decade: 44 >mes as much data and content – 35 zeUabytes in 2020!
• Farmers needs beUer forecast • Weather insurance companies needs (beUer) weather data
• Both Public and Private sector can reap benefits • Posi>ve side-‐effects to Global/Local Research
• Key enablers: – Extension agents a privileged facilitator – Mobile infrastructure/phones as a gateway – Facilitators to create the suitable environment
3c
Environmental security: what is it?
• What is security? – The meaning of security changes across >me
• Different interpreta>on of environmental security – Environment as key for Na>onal Security – The end of the Cold War and the transi>on of Environment in the Military
• Military • Inter-‐dependence
– Environmental scarcity as a trigger for conflict – Environment as a driver of coopera>on
4a
Global Warming
Environmental security: what is it? Climate change vs Environmental Security
4a
• Current scenario: climate change and the re-‐igni>on of the debate
Climate Change
Negative impacts • Increasing water scarcity • Decreasing agri. productivity • Higher frequency and
intensity of natural disasters • …
• Increasing competition • Migration from rural to urban areas
or abroad • Threat to economic growth • Distrust between North/South countries
Positive impacts • Areas will experience benefits! • Need for joint initiative to
mitigate/adapt • …
• Mitigation of effects in the ‘global balance’
• Increase in technical/political cooperation
• Greener production
Environmental security: what is it? Environment as driver of conflict vs. coopera=on
4a
• Nega=ve pole: driver of conflict – Cross-‐border water & grazing rights:
• Senegal vs Mauritania Border War (1991) – Land distribu>on
• Chiapas, Mexico (1994) – Access to water/land
• Soccer War Honduras/El Salvador (1969)
• Posi=ve pole: source of coopera>on – 1950-‐2000: 1228 coopera>ve events vs 507 conflict episodes in water
management. – Technical coopera>on on Water: EXACT-‐ME (Jordan, Israel, Pales>ne) – “Peace Parks” (?)
• KAZA, Great Limpopo TF Park, Ai-‐Ais/Richtersveld TF Park • Siachen Glacier, northern Kashmir
Environmental security: why does it maUer in Africa?
Environmental conflicts in Africa
4b
• 22 recorded conflicts (1980-2005)
• Clear evidence of land degradation & water scarcity in fueling conflict
• Migrations sometimes make conflicts escalate in neighboring countries
• Sahel hotspot: often systematic/collective violence
• Land distribution typical driving factor for conflicts
Source: Carius et al. (2006)
Environmental security: why does it maUer in Africa?
The impact of climate change
4b
• Higher water stress in N/S Africa; < water stress in E/O Africa – Broadly 75-‐250M affected in 2020
• High risk of higher food insecurity – Excep>ons: Ethiopia, Mozambique
• Increasing stress on infrastructures & economies (due to sea-‐level rise & environmental refugees)
• Different distribu>on of diseases (e.g. malaria in E/S Africa)
• Open ques>ons: Sudano-‐Sahelian area, extreme events?
Environmental security: why does it maUer in Africa?
The impact of climate change
4b
Environmental security: why does it maUer in Africa?
Water, Energy, Food (WEF) Nexus
4b
Environmental security: why does it maUer in Africa?
Water, Energy, Food (WEF) Nexus
4b
• Increasing popula>on and higher quality of life • Increasing water, food & energy demand: +30/50% between 2010-‐2030
• Inequali>es push for short-‐term answers that can jeopardize medium/long-‐term sustainability
• “Any strategy that focuses on one part of the water-‐food-‐energy nexus without considering its interconnec>ons risks serious unintended consequences”.
(World Economic Forum, 2011)
Environmental security: why does it maUer in Africa?
African richness to be capitalized
4b
• Coopera>on & success stories – Africa covered by transboundary basins for 62% – 2 or + countries sharing 80 basins – 150 agreements, 10 River Basin Organiza>ons – Various Transboundary Conserva>on Protected Areas & Peace Parks
• Conflict Resolu>on norma>ve tools – African Conven>on on the Conserva>on of Nature and Natural Resources
– Interna>onal Conference on the Great Lakes Region – RBOs
Environmental security: how can ICTs help? 4c
INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY
Record data and information
Transform data and information into knowledge
Broadcast & Communicate
Information and Knowledge
Environmental security: how can ICTs help? 4c
Record data and information
Transform data and information into knowledge
Broadcast & Communicate
Information and Knowledge
Observation Analysis & Strategic Planning
Implementation &
Management
Conflict Preven>on
Conflict Resolu>on
Natural Resources Monitoring
Capacity Building & Networking
Environmental Peacebuilding
Decision Support
Resources Management
Knowledge Sharing
Upscaling
Crowd-‐sourced
monitoring
Environmental security: how can ICTs help? Some examples
4c
• End-‐to-‐end conflict-‐sensi>ve water management via ICT
• Geoma>cs for mapping environmental security hot-‐spots
• Capacity Building & Networking via ICT for natural resources management
Environmental security: how can ICTs help? Water management
4c
• Three main services ICT can offer
1. Monitor the state of water, including quality and use, for conflict preven=on – Shared water data bank in Jordan/Israel/Pales>ne for climate adapta>on
2. Collabora=on and networking for conflict resolu=on – Conflict over the use of Syr Darya & Amu Darya rivers among Upstream countries (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) and Downstream countries (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan)
• Graph Model for Conflict Resolu>on, GMCR -‐ Scenario Analysis confirmed the exis>ng treaty as the most favourable for the countries
Environmental security: how can ICTs help? Water management
4c
• Three main services ICTs can offer 3. Support to policy making towards a sustainable
use of water resources & post-‐conflict recovery – USAID-‐sponsored DSS to manage water quality degrada>on in Upper Litani River, Lebanon
– Remote Sensing, DSS & GeoDB to plan equitable management of Bung Boraphet water basin, Thailand
– Par>cipatory GIS to design water service provision in peri-‐urban post-‐conflict Angola
Environmental security: how can ICTs help? Geoma=cs
4c
A case study on Kenya @ my Lab: GeoLab, University of Milan (Bocchi et al. 2006)
• Iden>fica>on of environmental scarcity hot spots – Mount Kenya – Bordering areas with Ethiopia and Somalia (east of lake Turkana)
– Mount Elgon – Lake Victoria – Mombasa
Environmental security: how can ICTs help? Geoma=cs
4c
A case study on Kenya, 2006
Wajiri Conflict 1992-95
Inter-State Cooperation
Pokomo/ Orma
Clashes 2000
Environmental security: how can ICTs help? Capacity building & networking
4c
• Interna>onal level – Strauss Center CCAPS, hUp://ccaps.aiddata.org/conflict
• Local level – SNA-‐K (Kenya): land access related conflict mi>ga>on via open forums, radio, workshops and SMS-‐Based Violence Preven>on & Educa>on
– Baba>, Tanzania (Mandara, 2007): PGIS for land conflict mi>ga>on
Conclusions • The shape of ICT4D is likely to change a lot
• ICT4D à ICT4Dx!
• ICT does/can already play a difference to support food and environmental security
• WEF nexus will be core driving force to be targeted for medium/long-‐term Sustainable Development (not only in Africa!)
• To lead the way in ICT4Dx Actors will need to: • Be innova=on rather than ICT oriented • Strengthen theirs facilita=on skills • Develop a cross-‐pollina=on prone a{tude
For further informa>on, link, advice, et al. 4c
Simone Sala
• Web: www.simonesala.it • TwiUer: @hereissimone