Tsunamis are dangerous natural disasters that affect populations on coastlines and contribute to increases in global poverty. Two teams of researchers in Japan and Australia are looking into new innovations in tsunami technology, hoping to decrease some of these negative effects.
Negative Impacts of Tsunamis on Coastal Populations
The effects of tsunamis can vary depending on their size and location. Tsunamis of a large magnitude can cause extreme destruction to a country’s infrastructure, housing and transportation systems. In poorer nations, where architecture is not as robust, the destruction of buildings can be devastating. In addition, tsunamis can also cause loss of life and increase the spread of waterborne diseases. Moreover, tsunamis can also damage natural resources and water supplies.
In addition to the safety impacts, tsunamis impose hefty financial costs on nations. After a tsunami, money is necessary to repair the damage and provide support to communities and rescue teams. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ (UN OCHA) research found that “Tsunamis account for $280 billion in economic losses over [the] last twenty years.” Nations in states of poverty have a hard time providing monetary aid and require support from external organizations. This is why a single event can cause massive distress within a country, especially those with high poverty rates.
Warning Systems and Detection in Japan
Japan is an example of a country that suffers from the negative impacts of tsunamis. The nation celebrated World Tsunami Awareness Day on November 5th and hopes to use new research to strengthen communication systems and preparedness, to uncover innovations in tsunami technology. The best way to minimize casualties is communication. Once people become aware of a possible tsunami, they can move to safer areas. In addition, Japan has implemented a new system that relies on drones for detection. Earlier detection also correlates with decreased effects because nations can prepare for impact more effectively. Innovations within this field, therefore, have the potential to save human lives.
Satellite Research in Australia
An Australian research team has published research on the potential for using satellites to map out oceanic activity. This innovation in tsunami technology utilizes atmospheric waves to locate a surface activity that is at risk of causing a potential tsunami. Satellites can also map out paths of tsunamis approaching land. This information can allow countries to anticipate disasters and protect their citizens and infrastructure.
Benefits of These Innovations
Research in Japan and Australia provides increased preparedness for tsunamis. Innovations in both communication and detection can help countries mitigate the effects of this dangerous natural disaster. Although we cannot prevent tsunamis altogether, these innovations can help decrease fatalities and destruction.
Both innovations in tsunami technology can be expanded and used globally to decrease negative impacts from potentially deadly tsunamis and minimize negative economic repercussions.
– Hailey Dooley
Photo: Flickr
On Oct. 1, 2022, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched 5G services in India. Such services will improve many industries, including India’s agricultural industry which is in desperate need of it. Farmers in India still heavily rely on traditional farming methods. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, approximately 58% of India’s population work in the agricultural sector. In 2020, World Bank estimated India’s employment in agriculture to be at 41.5%. Approximately, 62% of the land in India is used for agriculture. The country’s livestock population of about 535.78 million is the largest in the world. With its farmland and livestock, India is the world’s largest producer of milk, pulses and spices. Farmers of India play an important role in providing a means of sustenance to not only India but also the rest of the world. However, multiple challenges stand in the way of farmers in their attempt to meet the nation’s demands for food.
The Struggles of Farmers in Inda
According to a 2017 report that India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare published, about 22.5% of India’s farmers live below the poverty line. One of the reasons behind this estimate is that 70% of farmers work on farms less than one hectare (2.5 acres) in size, thereby limiting how much they can grow. For comparison, the average-sized farm in the United States is 445 acres. Another reason is that the crop yields in developing countries are 30% to 50% less than those in developed nations. This is due to the lack of modern farming technologies and techniques and the decrease in soil fertility as a result of over-fertilization and sustained pesticide use. Poor access to market information on the price of their crops and lack of good farming infrastructure, like cold storage to preserve fruits and vegetables, also contribute to lower crop yields.
In 2020, many farmers protested laws that threatened guaranteed crop prices that existed for decades. Around 100,000 demonstrators and 31 farmer’s unions united and set up large camping sites on the highways of India. Protesters claimed to represent the farmers of India and stated that the laws would allow the private sector to set lower prices on their crops. This would further worsen the ongoing struggles of farmers in the country. According to federal data, more than 10,000 farmers and agricultural workers have committed suicide due to work-related stress and despair over their livelihoods. The laws aiming to deregulate agricultural markets were eventually repealed, thanks to the protests.
Turning it Around in Farming
With the introduction of 5G services in India, farming will be more manageable and profitable. Such services can allow farmers to manage their livestock remotely. Farmers can also monitor the health of their livestock and track their activities, their food intake and their fertility through devices such as 5G-connected collars, sensors and cameras. This allows them to be aware of important events, for example, when their livestock is going into labor. 5G technology can increase profitability and improve the sustainability of India’s agricultural industry.
Farmers can use 5G to connect to the web and keep up with the market prices of their products. They can also check weather conditions to see how much water their crops would need, based on whether it would rain or not. 5G services in India will allow farmers to use cellular-connected and camera-equipped drones. These are helpful in scanning crops to monitor their health, identify weeds, apply pesticides and water with more precision and provide high-resolution images to the farmer. Farmers can also be able to control their irrigation and reduce water usage by up to 40%. They can use soil probes buried underground to monitor their soil’s moisture, soil patterns and salinity. This data can also help figure out the amount and frequency of watering for their crops.
Limitations and Promises of 5G Services
Once 5G is available to all, farmers will benefit quickly. According to an article on AgriEngineering, a majority of Indian farmers have smartphones, and the number of Indians with smartphones is expected to reach 875 million by 2023. In 2019, 88% of Indians living in rural parts of the country already had access to 4G services. Airtel and Jio (telecommunication companies) users, whose phones already have 4G SIM cards, would not need new cards for 5G as they are already 5G enabled.
However, the current lack of cellular towers in rural areas could limit 5G services for some time. Fortunately, India’s National Telecommunications Commission has directed the country’s three top telecommunication service providers to build more cellular towers and signal relay stations in rural areas. It may take over a year for 5G services to be available across the entire country. While some Airtel and Jio users may be able to use their current phones to access 5G services, users of other telecommunication companies will have to purchase new phones. With the introduction of 5G services in India, the country is taking a significant step towards digitizing agriculture. The benefits of 5G will allow farmers to improve their livelihoods and secure a better future for generations to come.
– James Harrington
Photo: Flickr
All over the world, libraries provide the public with free resources in order to inform, educate, enlighten, empower and equip communities with the tools to succeed. Being such an integral part of communities, it is important that everyone has access to libraries or public spaces for educational purposes. Currently, most “economic, educational, health and social opportunities” are dependent on access to the internet. The Gates Foundation’s Global Library Initiative is working to expand technology access in public libraries around the globe.
The Global Library Initiative’s Strategy
The Global Library Initiative, which the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has sponsored, works in partnership with governments around the world to expand technology access, foster innovation, train community leaders and advocate for policy changes that benefit public libraries. By investing more than $1 billion globally to enhance the power of libraries, the Global Library Initiative is improving lives. Over the next 10 years, the Gates Foundation plans on implementing:
- New models of public library research, training and practice.
- More collaboration across organizations that support public libraries.
- More support for global connections between public libraries and library organizations.
- Sustain existing global library programs.
The Significance
“Access to information is a great equalizer” reported the Gates Foundation in response to the significance of The Global Library Initiative. After the technology boom, economic, educational, health and social opportunities almost always depend on an individual’s access to resources found online. A lack of internet access can usually translate to a lack of opportunity.
The World Economic Forum reported that the pandemic exposed the true digital divide across the globe. It reported that almost half of the world’s population had no access to the internet and fewer than one in five people in countries that are least developed around the world were connected. Furthermore, women are 30-50% less likely than men to use the internet to participate in public life.
Because so many people are unable to access the internet that would otherwise provide them with useful knowledge, funding and supporting libraries across the globe provides a smart solution. However, even though many countries already have public libraries, the communities they support often overlook their use and importance and underutilize them. In sustaining these pre-existing libraries, The Global Library Initiative can train staff to provide services to users, supportive networks and broadband connectivity rather than construct new structures entirely.
The Global Library Initiative at Work to Improve Technology Access: Romania
Because the Global Library Initiative is not contained in a single country, the program works with libraries across the globe. One example of the benefits includes their partnership with Biblionet in Romania. In partnering with the Global Library Initiative through the Gates Foundation, the Association of Librarians of Romania, and local and national governments, Biblionet allowed librarians to inspire and “breathe new life into Romanian Communities.”
The Global Library Initiative equipped 80% of all of Romania’s libraries with tech tools that offered strong internet connectivity. Then, the program funded the training of just more than 4,000 librarians in using the technology in order to ensure its accessibility to the public. In doing so, more than 41,000 farmers were able to file online applications for agricultural subsidies through public libraries. This resulted in more than $63 million worth of subsidies granted to them from the Ministry of Agriculture. Without access to the internet through the public library system, the farmers would not have received their fair share of subsidies.
The Global Library Initiative is bridging the gap between access to the internet and connectivity. The program allows more individuals to access free online resources that they would otherwise not have access to. Now, the disadvantaged have access to opportunities previously only available to more fortunate individuals, thus helping bridge the poverty gap.
– Opal Vitharana
Photo: Flickr
On September 19, 2022, Ericsson announced that it had successfully launched 5G in Nigeria. The 5G hardware and software provider collaborated with Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) Nigeria to begin the first phase of deploying 5G technology throughout the country.
Phase one of the advancements has already started in certain parts of Lagos, one of the seven cities MTN aims to cover. Following this plan, MTN aims to roll out 5G networks throughout the country by the second half of 2022, to close the global digital divide.
The Continent’s Most Virtually Connected Country
Nigeria contributes to 29% of Africa’s internet usage and holds 82% of the continent’s telecom subscribers. This makes the country Africa’s most important information and communications technology (ICT) market.
According to a report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry contributed up to 14.42% to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Nigeria in 2021. The commission accredits the growth to policy implementation, increased demand and investment.
The government of Nigeria (GON) views the ICT market as a key to the further development of the education, health care, agriculture and manufacturing sectors. The GON launched the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030) in November 2019 to further diversify the economy from dependence on oil and gas. This program adheres to eight pillars including “Developmental Regulation, Digital Literacy & Skills, Solid Infrastructure, Service Infrastructure, Digital Services Development & Promotion, Soft Infrastructure, Digital Society & Emerging Technologies, Indigenous Content Development & Adoption.”
However, more than half of the Nigerian population does not have access to the internet. Those from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds have limited access to the internet, technology and ICT skills. This effectively creates a disparity in children’s education due to affordability, lack of infrastructure, perception of digital tech and already-present socioeconomic inequalities.
About 5G
According to the Ericsson website, “5G is the fifth generation of cellular networks, enabling faster connectivity and data transference.” It can use the same radio frequencies that smartphones, Wi-Fi and satellite communications currently use but with additional functions. The implementation of 5G allows reliable, accessible and secure real-time interactions between devices as well as efficient data processing at a higher capacity.
According to Ericsson, 5G is capable of aiding in economic recovery. Expectations determined that these new integrations in info and comms, wholesale/retail, public services and manufacturing will “contribute $13.2 trillion to the global economy by 2035.” Along with the internet of things (IoT) (how physical devices connect, exchange and store data), predictions stated that 5G digital technologies will reduce up to 15% of global emissions by 2030.
The Basics of Spectrum Trading
Spectrum trading applies the concept of property rights to radio frequencies. This ensures a more accessible market for users, increasing efficiency amongst businesses and companies which then invest back into new technology.
By relying on administrative assignments and increased accessibility, spectrum trading allows license holders to react to the rapidly changing markets. Some rights applied to license-protected spectrums include: how long it can be used, within what geographical area and what it can be used for.
In Nigeria, spectrum trading is under the jurisdiction of the NCC. Rules that the NCC set in 2021 outline requirements for eligible sellers and buyers by setting minimum spectrum-holding times and having “sound regulatory and financial standing with the Commission.”
In December of 2021, telecommunication companies MTN and Mafab Communications paid around $550 million for the licenses to distribute 5G in Nigeria. The companies received a deadline of August 24, 2022, to launch the service.
Complications with licensing consequently postponed efforts to develop 5G in Nigeria. At the start of August 2022, MTN had already prepared around 127 sites for testing. However, Mafab was still waiting for the proper licensing needed to distribute (both spectrum and Universal Access Service Licence (UASL).
Other challenges that have impacted the ICT sector include taxation at federal, state and local governments, several regulatory bodies, right of way (RoW) charges and damage to existing infrastructure due to cable theft.
Improving Connectivity for All
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is implementing a “digital economy policy” for Nigeria to enforce a sustainable digital ecosystem. The policies include improved data privacy and protection, increasing digital literacy for youths, enforcing reliable internet connections and integrating digital solutions for different industries.
The successful establishment of 5G in Nigeria would improve healthcare, food security, manufacturing and IoT. The upgraded network would allow healthcare professionals to provide better diagnostics and treatment with hi-tech machinery (EX: EKG machines), digital record archives and telemedicine. This allows for more affordable and accessible healthcare services for those residing in remote low-density locations.
Applications related to IoT will reduce manufacturing costs and accelerate the development of smart cities/smart grids to enhance productivity and create new revenue streams. Smart agriculture/farming supported by 5G could enhance crop and livestock monitoring systems, allowing precise identification of areas that need water, are prone to disease or require pest management.
Plans are in the works to launch in Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Kano and Maiduguri to fulfill MTN’s first phase in bringing commercial 5G to Nigeria. The telecommunications company aims to provide full national 5G coverage by 2025.
– Aishah French
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A South Korean tech startup is pioneering a more affordable cochlear implant through automated production. TODOC specializes in making these implants, which use surgically installed devices to help those with severe hearing loss improve their hearing by bypassing damaged portions of the ear. Without the devices, hearing-impaired people are more likely to experience lower economic status, poorer education and more, especially in parts of the world where resources dedicated to people with disabilities are scarce.
The average cochlear implant costs more than $20,000, putting it firmly out of reach for many in the developing world. At the same time, 80% of people that could benefit from having cochlear hearing live in the developing world.
With higher rates of hearing impairment and limited resources, TODOC’s more affordable cochlear implant poses a possible solution to an issue that is costing the world billions of dollars and pushing many into isolation and poverty.
How Deafness and Hearing Loss Contribute to Poverty
Hearing loss and deafness can create numerous barriers to success, especially when those living with them do not receive sufficient support. One study published in the journal Disability and Society showed that those in the United Kingdom living with hearing impairment on average had lower household incomes, greater difficulties making ends meet, struggled more with unexpected costs and had higher jobless rates than their unimpaired counterparts.
Compared to those living in the U.K., which boasted an impressive Human Development Index of 0.932 in 2018, people with hearing difficulties are even more likely to face disability-related consequences when living in developing countries. A 2005 study published in the BMJ posited that though children with hearing issues are just as likely to see a doctor, 80% did not receive a hearing aid. As a result, children with hearing impairments on average saw their education delayed until they were more than 10 years old, putting them at a considerable disadvantage to their unimpaired peers.
Barriers to Distributing Hearing Aids and Other Treatments
Throughout the developing world, similar situations are commonplace. One study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health demonstrated that the distribution of hearing aids to families living in proximity to Guatemala City, Guatemala significantly increased household incomes. Another study from BMC Health Services Research demonstrated that children living with disabilities in Sub-Saharan African countries faced numerous barriers, such as widespread poverty, cultural stigma and inadequate healthcare systems, to receiving diagnoses and treatments for their issues, which ultimately decreased their quality of life.
The economic consequences of unaddressed hearing impairment and the lack of affordable cochlear implants in the developing world has received wide documentation. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that lower- and middle-income countries have contributed 57% of the $980 billion lost to healthcare costs, educational costs, loss of productivity and societal costs stemming from unaddressed hearing impairment. The number that WHO provided excluded the exorbitant amount of money spent on hearing aids.
TODOC’s Plans to Improve Hearing For the Poor
Kyou Sik Min, who has previously worked for Samsung Electronics’s healthcare technology division and at other cochlear implant companies, started TODOC with the mission of expanding the cochlear implant market globally. To further this point, Sik Min named the company after the Korean word for the sound made when someone pats another’s shoulder “to create a company that comforts people with hearing loss by ‘patting’ the shoulders of people in difficult situations.”
The company specifically focuses on creating high-quality, affordable cochlear implants for those who could not otherwise afford them. It also creates nerve stimulation and neuromodulation devices to help researchers and help with nerve pain. To reduce costs and increase output, TODOC has developed a system to manufacture its devices using automation.
Currently, TODOC does not list a price for any of its devices. There are also questions of if and/or how the company plans to address the issue of the costs and accessibility to the surgery required to implant the devices and the therapy typically required to use cochlear implants.
At the same time, the company lists numerous innovations and improvements attached to its SULLIVAN model of affordable cochlear implants. This includes brain-machine interfacing and what the company calls “superior Neural Interface Technology,” which both have the potential to streamline the device’s implementation and use.
Looking Ahead
The company was invited to the Consumer Electronic Show in January 2022 to show its first line of implants and further advertise its products. In 2021, Min’s pitch for making a more affordable cochlear implant won the company $500,000 in funding at the Entrepreneurial World Cup Finals. Investors have also provided the company with more than millions of dollars in funding, including $3.5 million from the South Korean government.
Overall, the investments demonstrate the international community’s confidence in TODOC’s ability to deliver on its promise to bring a solution to the developing world’s hearing problems and fight inequity within the cochlear implant industry.
– Ryan Morton
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Africa is struggling to keep up with a global economy dominated by technology but African digital jobs are growing. Nigerian activist Oladiwura Oladepo co-founded the Tech4Dev organization to enrich the continent’s access to digital work opportunities.
Technology for Social Change and Development Initiative or Tech4dev is a nonprofit that originated in 2016 according to the Global Citizen site. Founded to solve the “world’s greatest problems,” the group provides access to the internet and computers in Africa and trains Africans in digital skills. This is especially vital in Oladepo’s home of Nigeria, where more than 100 million of the country’s 200 million population lack any digital services and many suffer from poverty, unemployment and starvation.
Tech4Dev’s Programs
Tech4Dev offers numerous specialized educational programs to create African digital jobs for different demographics. One program listed on their website includes “Women Techsters,” which aims to increase economic equity between genders and financially empower women. The “Basic Digital Education Initiative” also aims to teach elementary and high school students technology skills as well as basic STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) skills.
Another more-advanced program that Tech4Dev offers is the “Emerging Market Model Initiative.” The program emerged with the help of Microsoft to provide strong digital training to Nigerian adults through various government agencies. In addition to helping prospective learners, this program also equips said agencies with the ability to teach future groups of adults and increase overall digital literacy in the long term.
Although the programs have different target audiences, all of the programs have the same overall goal of teaching Africans online skills so they can find work and improve the lives of themselves and their communities. In Tech4Dev Executive Director Oladiwura Oladepo’s own words, this is “Using technology to advance sustainable human capital development in Africa.”
Technology and Economy Hand-in-Hand
The World Bank has stated that the digital economy is 15.5% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP), which is a monetary measurement assigned to the overall goods and services that a country provides. With this number expected to increase as digitalization increases, African digital jobs in countries like Nigeria could produce significant capital gains.
As President Enrico Lores of HP Inc. stated on the World Economic Forum’s website, digital access factors into more than just job opportunities. With remote learning, no online access means not receiving an education. Online medical access can mean life or death. Even ignoring formal services, the internet can provide vital information similar to how Oladiwura Oladepo shared life-saving information on Ebola precautions in 2014.
About Global Citizen
In 2022, Oladiwura Oladepo received the 2022 Waislitz Global Citizens’ Choice Award from the Waislitz Foundation and the Global Citizen platform. Global Citizen defines a global citizen as someone who takes action to fight inequity and poverty across the whole world through collective action.
Oladepo acts as a global citizen by using Tech4Dev to support Nigeria and all of Africa by setting the groundwork for African digital jobs. Global citizens like her have raised more than $41.4 billion in funding and aided the impoverished in both developed and developing countries across the globe. The site lists 1,560,219 active global citizens dedicated to eliminating global poverty today.
– Henry Bauer
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
In 2020, less than 19% of the Ethiopian population had access to the internet. The Ethiopian government widely owns Ethiopia’s internet and telecommunications systems, which has been the source of much criticism. The Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce itself noted that the lack of liberalization in the telecommunications and digital sectors limits competition and dampens efficiency, ultimately stalling the development of the nation. Given that it is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, Ethiopia’s comprehensive strategy, Digital Ethiopia 2025, has significant plans to bring the country fully into the modern age.
The Digital Landscape in Ethiopia
On the other hand, barriers to access are not just structural, but also political. The Ethiopian government’s monopoly on Ethio Telecom has made it difficult to manage access for the entire country. Whatsmore, the state has periodically shut down internet access for political reasons, such as in the aftermath of Āmara president Ambachew Mekonnen. The government’s strict control over telecommunications in Ethiopia not only limits the possibilities of nationwide commerce but also disconnects Ethiopia’s economy from the rest of the world.
Digital Ethiopia 2025
The other big push that Digital Ethiopia 2025 is championing is the privatization of the telecommunications sector. The government’s explicit control over media and news, internet traffic, and trade via telecommunication not only pose threats to privacy but also limits competition. The original plans to sell a large stake of government-held Ethio Telecom ended up on hold in May 2020, largely due to economic shifts as a result of COVID-19. However, moving forward with plans will likely be the key to advancing the market capacity of Ethiopia’s telecommunications sector and the economy as a whole.
Looking Ahead
– Hannah Yonas
Photo: Flickr
One of the world’s least developed countries is about to get a substantial technological upgrade. Following an agreement between Niger’s Agency for Information Society (ANSI) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the development of an innovation and technology center has begun in the village of Sadore. That center will have technical educational opportunities as well as advanced technology and equipment.
The Location of the New Center
Sadore is located in the country of Niger. Niger is an African nation that is on the border of numerous other countries. It boasts a population of more than 24 million people and has a river that runs through its capital, Niamey. Niger is also among the hottest countries in the world, earning it the nickname, the “Frying Pan of the World.”
The Human Development Index (HDI) measures how developed a country is. It considers various factors such as income, life expectancy and education. According to this index, Niger ranked as the least developed country in the world. In 2019, Niger received an HDI of .394, lower than any other country.
Aside from its lack of development, Niger faces other problems as well. Niger currently has a poverty rate of 44% and malnutrition plagues much of the country. Making matters worse is the fact that the fertility rate in Niger is the highest in the world and easily surpasses its death rate. This means that the population is constantly growing, which will lead to more people living in poverty.
The Agreement Between ANSI and ICRISAT
ANSI and ICRISAT agreed upon the decision to develop the new center. ANSI primarily focuses on sustainable digital development in Niger. This spreads to various aspects of society such as education, health and agriculture. The agency also prioritizes digital technology and how the advancement of this technology can have a positive impact on the country.
While ANSI is broader in its areas of focus for development, ICRISAT has more of a focus on rural areas and agriculture. ICRISAT is a nonprofit that uses scientific research to improve the lives of people living in rural communities. It helps farmers grow various types of crops so that they can sustain themselves and their families.
A partnership between these two has the potential to be extremely beneficial for Niger. More specifically, a collaboration to further develop food production could help alleviate Niger’s malnutrition problem. Additionally, as the creation of a new innovation center proved, agricultural technology can also take a step forward and help the country along in its development.
The New Center
The creation of a new innovation and technology center comes as a part of the Niger 2.0 Smart Village Project. Niger 2.0 is a program that plans to transform Niger’s rural and lower-income areas into far more digitally advanced communities. This will improve the lives of the people living in these areas as well as create more sustainable infrastructure.
The center will undergo development in various “clusters” that focus on specific aspects of society such as health, education and agriculture. It will also provide many educational opportunities for the public to use such as a coding academy and a university for several technical careers.
Furthermore, the center will also hold a wide variety of technological resources that many of Sadore’s citizens will likely be experiencing for the first time. These include “a national data center…assembly lines…computers, tablets and solar panels.”
How This New Center Will Affect Niger
Ibrahima Guimba-Saidou, director general of ANSI, has expressed his support for the development of a new innovation and technology city in Niger. He believes that it could be the key to solving many of Niger’s largest problems. He specifically spoke about how technology could help improve agriculture. For example, drones could help collect data about certain crops.
Saidou also highlighted the importance of getting Niger’s population more involved in the country’s development. Two-thirds of Niger’s population is under the age of 25; and, their participation in building a new digital infrastructure could be vital for the country’s overall development. The involvement of Niger’s abundant youth could give it the boost it needs.
The center should also improve the state of business in Niger as it will have facilities that support small enterprises and start-ups. Saidou believes that the growth of these businesses could lead to substantial progress in agricultural development that could help improve Niger’s malnutrition situation. With the implementation of the new center and an increase in technological advancements, the world could soon be looking at a brand new Niger.
– Tyshon Johnson
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Many know Egypt, which connects Northeastern Africa and the Middle East, for its rivers and pyramids. Although it is rich in culture, Egypt faces a water scarcity issue. According to an article by the African Union Development Agency, Egypt’s Vision 2030 to “increase water supply across the country has primarily focused on enhancing sustainable energy generation and management and enabling innovation and scientific research towards enhancing water supply and distribution.” Technology to address water scarcity in Egypt aims to protect the environment, increase productivity and enhance human health.
The Problem of Egypt’s Water Scarcity
Egypt is currently facing a yearly water deficit of more than 7 billion cubic meters. The problem of insufficient water is further exacerbated by population growth, especially since Egypt’s population is expanding at a pace of 1.94%, equivalent to an annual increase of around 2 million individuals. Today, 92 million people reside in Egypt, marking a 41% increase since the 1990s, and the population will likely exceed 110 million over the next three years.
Recognizing the proportional relationship between population size and freshwater scarcity, this may heavily disrupt freshwater supply within the country. In fact, the Middle East and North African region as a whole, where Egypt is located, holds less than 2% of the world’s fresh water. The Nile river, a vital source of natural and freshwater in Egypt, is increasingly becoming a source of disease, due to the amount of pollution it endures annually. According to the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, 4.5 million tons of pollutants permeate the Nile each year. This includes sewage, agricultural waste and industrial waste.
Implementation
Egypt has embraced some of the most cutting-edge digital and smart water technologies to address issues pertinent to water scarcity. Through water treatment and desalination, such technologies aim to protect current water sources and bodies, while also boosting water supply. Egypt has created several desalination technologies, to facilitate the transformation of seawater into potable water to enhance water supply. The process of seawater desalination involves evaporating, condensing, and then cooling via the distillation process in that respective order. Through this process, people can use the newly treated water for human consumption and agricultural purposes. Today, Egypt retains a daily freshwater capacity of 800,000 cubic meters in line with 2022 records, and the Egyptian government aspires to achieve 6.4 million cubic meters by 2050.
However, the seawater desalination method traditionally used in Egypt is expensive, as it requires a significant amount of energy. To overcome this issue, Egypt adopted membrane technology to desalinate seawater affordably and cost-effectively. Additionally, such technology can help with several other processes, including pervaporation, reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, nanofiltration and ultrafiltration.
To further enhance the output of water treatment that is possible through membrane technology, and without sacrificing the quality of water, scientists are investigating nanotechnology. Nanotechnology works to increase water permeability and remove pollutants from both wastewater and seawater, while also cost-effectively intensifying water supply output.
A Promising Future
Improving access to clean water remains a top and crucial priority to maintain human welfare in Egypt and the entire African continent. By creating effective water management systems, and boosting water supply through water treatment and desalination, Egypt can effectively address the water shortage. Such endeavors can ease the burden on Egyptians who lack access to clean water, reduce their susceptibility to diseases, and ultimately improve their quality of life.
– Frema Mensah
Photo: Flickr
Foreign direct investments in the only unpenetrated highly populace market have proven effective in improving the U.S. economy. With Microsoft and Google investments, India curtailed poverty and encouraged economic growth.
Microsoft and Google Investments
Since 1990, Microsoft has invested in various operations in India, including Intelligent Cloud and Artificial Intelligence to facilitate the quick delivery of digital transformation. More recent operations in 2021 entail Microsoft’s collaboration with Invest India to support the build-up of 11 technological start-ups. In 2022, Microsoft led the largest India data center region investment worth Rs 15,000 crore across a 15-year period.
Since 2004, Google has also invested in India to enhance the country’s digital economy. The tech giant’s most contemporary investment announced is a $10 billion investment in 2020, known as the “Google for India Digitization Fund” to fuel the digitization of India. In 2022, Google also publicized support to Airtel, India’s second major telecommunications operator, in a $1 billion investment, according to the Economic Times.
Impact on Reducing Poverty in India
Today, Microsoft operates in 11 different Indian cities with around 16,000 employees. The International Data Corporation estimates that Microsoft’s data center region contributed to economic gains worth $9.5 billion from 2016-2020 and unlocked 1.5 million employment opportunities, The Times of India reported.
Tech start-up companies generated around $6.5 billion in the second quarter of 2021, according to Business Today. This is indicating improved economic growth and poverty reduction, especially as start-ups represent a significant aspect of economic development.
Following Google’s $10 billion investment in 2020, the number of employees it holds doubled from early 2020 to late 2021, and over the following two years, projections show that the workforce is likely to double. This underlines Google’s impact on promoting economic growth through the reduction of unemployment on the national level, declining by 4.2% from 2020-2021.
Human Development Index (HDI) value in India rose from 0.429 in 1990 to 0.645 in 2019. GDP growth improved from 3.8% in 2000 to 8.9% in 2021 and extreme poverty declined by 12.3 percentage points between 2011-2019. This illustrated the overall impact digital technology has on encouraging equality and financial inclusion across India.
Imports
In 2019, estimates have stated that Indian trade accounted for 2.3% of total U.S. imported goods, standing at a worth of $57.7 billion. A U.S. government report confirms that service products such as telecommunication and research and development accounted for a large proportion of such imports and in 2019 it stood at $29.7 billion.
Acknowledging the role of imports in relieving U.S. households from increased good prices, this highlights how high-tech investments in India Improved the U.S. economy. As evidence of the latter, a 2021 U.S. Chamber of Commerce report has highlighted that with imports, the typical American household uplifted its purchasing power by $18,000 per year, thereby equating to greater value for money.
Exports
In 2019, exports from the U.S. to India accounted for transactions valued at $34.3 billion, corresponding to 2% of total U.S. exports in that same year, and 2020 World Bank data shows that exports contributed to 10.16% of U.S. GDP. Agricultural products captured a considerable share of exports, totaling $1.8 billion in 2019, and each $1 billion from agricultural exports in 2019 required around 7,784 full-time U.S. employees. This illustrates eminent economic activity in terms of productivity, efficiency and employment domestically.
Importance of Microsoft and Google to the US Economy
The 2021-20 fiscal year illustrated economic gains for Microsoft (India) in terms of revenue growth valued at 7%. For the 2021 financial year, it is also estimated that Google’s revenue from India improved by 38% in terms of profit.
Such financial profits equate to greater corporate security and enhanced growth prospects and considering the impact both tech giants have on the U.S. economy this illustrates an unprecedented gain for improved economic growth via repatriated profits. For instance, Microsoft paid $13 billion in tax to the U.S. economy from its overall overseas operations. Similarly, Google in a 2018 announcement publicized its $38 billion payment in tax on its foreign cash and confirmed its intentions to offer 20,000 new employment opportunities. Knowing that India accounts for a large sum of both corporations’ overseas operations, this signifies the importance of investments in India to the U.S. economy.
In an era of globalization, economic gains in one country would demonstrate financial benefits in another. Efforts such as those of Microsoft and Google show how India can build a stronger infrastructure that strengthens its position in tackling poverty, while also highlighting how high-tech investments in India improved the U.S. economy.
– Noor Al-Zubi
Photo: Flickr
