The reasons are manifold, the consequences equally serious everywhere: In many emerging countries, the population still has no secure access to food. One of the countries struggling with a lack of food security is Mauritius. Despite all government initiatives, the African island state is still more than 70 percent dependent on imported food. COVID-19 has exacerbated the problem for the Mauritian population: with the sudden onset of the pandemic, food availability plummeted significantly.
Artificial intelligence, blockchain and data integration: digital technologies for better access to food
The INFINITY project, funded by DAAD and BMBF, is working on digital solutions to this problem. Together with UOM, CROSS is researching in several sub-projects which digital technologies can increase food security in emerging countries such as Mauritius. For example, it is investigating how technological platforms for food logistics can be built, how entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector can be supported in a targeted manner, and how artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies can ensure increased transparency in the food supply chain. In addition, the collected findings from the BMBF research project will be processed as part of a DAAD-funded project and taught as a new master's degree course in "Intelligent Information Management" at UOM in order to build up new technology competencies in the food sector in the long term. The project is funded for five years with a total project volume of 850,000 euros and is carried out jointly by HNU and UOM.
Contact
Prof. Dr. Heiko Gewald
Center for Research on Service Sciences (CROSS)
