By Joyce Ojanji

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) has received support from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to implement a project that will increase disaster preparedness and response capabilities in the region.

The “Strengthening Early Warning Systems for Anticipatory Actions” project aims at leveraging machine learning to enhance early warning information systems.

Supported by Google.org, this project will utilize artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics, to enhance the accuracy and timeliness of disaster alerts, empowering communities to take proactive measures to safeguard lives and livelihoods.

The funding provided by WFP will also benefit the Kenya Meteorological Department and Ethiopian Meteorological Institute, aiding in enhancing their national and sub-national forecasts. By transforming the quality of early warning information available to communities in disaster-prone regions, the project endeavors to facilitate proactive responses to critical alerts.

“With the involvement of partners such as Google, the University of Oxford, the Ethiopian Meteorological Institute, the Kenya Meteorological Department, and the World Food Programme, the project aspires to revolutionize early warning systems in the IGAD region and enable communities to prepare and act preemptively against impending hazards,’’ Dr. Guleid Artan, Director at the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre noted.

Initially, the project will focus on pilot implementations in Ethiopia and Kenya, with the lessons learned informing the scaling-up of initiatives across the region. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that vulnerable communities throughout the IGAD region have access to life-saving early warning information and can take timely action in the face of impending disasters.