ICT$for$food$and$environmental$security$in$Africawireless.ictp.it/school_2013/Lectures/SimoneSala-ICTP.pdf ·...

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


Public

Non & Inter-‐ GOs


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


Public

Non & Inter-‐ GOs


Advocacy Awareness raising

HEIs

2


Public

Non & Inter-‐ GOs


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)


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?


The impact of climate change

4b


Water, Energy, Food (WEF) Nexus

4b


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)


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

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