For example, they’ve offered ways to connect with veterinarians, compare market prices for animal feed, and use satellite data to find seasonal migration corridors and track brushfires. A screenshot of a tool developed by Orenstein and others that call center agents use to provide herders with location-specific data. “Instead of asking them, ‘Do you need rainfall information?’ I would say, ‘What kind of information do you need? Previously, reliable information was severely lacking, in part because there were not enough ground stations and in part because satellite data was available only for urban areas. And it’s a far cry from the kinds of higher-tech applications NGOs and development organizations have been promoting.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 01, 2024 08:46 UTC