Announcing the 2023 Palladium Challenge Fund Winners

The Challenge Fund theme for 2023, ‘Technology for Humanitarian Action’ called for innovative proposals from organizations offering sustainable solutions to humanitarian crises, emphasizing the importance of leveraging technological innovation or scaling existing cutting-edge solutions. After a thorough selection process, funding has been allocated to two new projects aimed at developing innovative tools to enhance the predictive and responsive capacities of humanitarian agencies and governments in addressing various crises. These initiatives also aim to build resilience within vulnerable communities.

Practical Action Consulting

‘Heat AI’ for Decision Making

The project’s primary objective is to tackle the urgent issue of heatwaves and their devastating effects through a comprehensive approach. The organization aims to document indigenous practices through case stories and technical reports, integrating them into Artificial Intelligence to develop an automated dashboard called ‘Heat AI.’ This dashboard will gather, analyse, visualize, and disseminate information on heatwaves, utilizing data from various sources, including locally collected heat data. Heat AI will monitor environmental conditions, analyse heat island effects, forecast risks, and offer recommendations for preparedness and possible humanitarian actions based on input data, past trends, and forecasting by authorities.

An android version of Heat AI, designed to be compatible even with low-end devices, will be developed to facilitate widespread use at the local level. By making data and information on heatwaves and their impacts accessible in understandable formats and providing guidance to local actors through Standard Operating Procedures, the initiative aims to significantly impact local planning and humanitarian efforts by enabling timely actions and ultimately mitigating the devastating consequences of heatwaves on communities.

Uncharted Waters

Developing a digital ‘twin’ of the global food system tailored to local needs.

Uncharted Waters is developing a digital ‘twin’ of the global food system, harnessing the latest climate data and employing machine learning to integrate extensive information on climate, food production, and trade. These technological advancements aim to create a unique tool addressing risks to water and food security in an increasingly volatile world, tailored to the diverse needs of organizations.

This operational monitoring platform holds promise in supporting Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and government agencies in enhancing disaster preparedness, fostering more effective humanitarian responses, and ultimately strengthening the climate resilience of local communities. To enhance access to the data, Uncharted Waters aims to design and test an interactive user interface facilitating NGOs and IGOs in their planning, day-to-day operations, and impact monitoring and reporting activities. The first customized digital twin will undergo testing in collaboration with Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), a leading NGO in India specializing in watershed restoration and livelihood development in rural areas.