Guardian features GODAN’s work on open data to combat global food shortage

Today the Guardian publishes an in-depth feature on the importance of open data in achieving food security and its vital role in helping to combat hunger in an era of population growth. Use cases from the GODAN/ODI discussion paper ‘how can we improve agriculture, food and nutrition with open data?’, published in May, are used to explain how open data is already making an impact for farmers. It cites examples that range from tackling rodent infestations in Dutch fields to the use of weather data to avoid drought impacts. This article follows a recent interview with Martin Parr, GODAN’s Programme Manager, in which the significant benefits that open data can yield were explored.

 

guardian

There is also insight given into Syngenta’s Good Growth Plan as an example of how business is aware of the importance of open data, and more from CABI‘s Plantwise project on knowledge sharing in agriculture. The publication of this article coincides with GODAN’s series of sessions at the Africa Open Data Conference starting in Dar es Salaam over the next few days (2-5 September).