Everyone requires food. Yet millions of people do not have enough to eat. Some regions produce too little food. Others squander too much. Farmers battle poor weather and pests. Prices rise, so food is beyond the reach of many.
This is a large issue, but can computers assist? Yes. AI, or artificial intelligence, is revolutionizing everything. It assists physicians in diagnosing diseases quicker. It assists automobiles in driving themselves. And now, AI can assist farmers in producing more food.
If used properly, AI can end food shortages. AI can assist farmers in cultivating healthier crops, eliminate waste, and deliver food to where it needs to go. But how exactly does AI do this? Let’s discover.
AI Helps Farmers Grow More Food
Source: Potential
Farmers are hardworking, but they have numerous issues. Either excessive or inadequate rain can devastate crops. Pests can destroy fields. AI-optimized computers can assist by providing farmers with the appropriate information at the right moment.
For instance, AI can:
- Predict weather: AI can evaluate vast amounts of data to tell farmers if there will be a storm or a drought. Farmers are able to plan when to plant crops or harvest them because of this.
- Spot disease early: With AI, they can spot symptoms of diseases on plants through checking photos or videos of crops. This allows the farmers to cure the plants while they are not yet severe.
- Manage pests: AI will assist farmers in knowing where pests tend to be and informing them when they should employ sustainable pest control methods.
These computers have given farmers a powerful weapon to combat daily uncertainty. It results in higher-quality harvests and less waste.
AI Reduces Wastage of Food
Another huge issue in the world today is food waste. Tons of food are wasted annually in most countries. Sometimes, food spoils before humans get to eat it. Other times, people discard food because it does not appear perfect, even though it is still safe to consume. AI computer can end this by enhancing how food is stored and distributed.
- Improved storage methods
AI can help determine how to best store food so that it remains fresh for a longer period. For instance, it can inform us at what temperature food should be stored and how much air surrounding it should be present.
- Better supply chain management
AI can also ensure food reaches its intended destination at the appropriate time. For example, food can be tracked to make sure it gets to the supermarkets or people in need before it spoils.
AI and Better Food Distribution
Source: Pixelplex
One of the reasons that some individuals lack sufficient food is that it is difficult to deliver food to the appropriate locations. AI can rectify this by enhancing the distribution of food. Here’s how:
- Intelligent transportation systems: AI can assist in determining the most efficient routes for food trucks to transport food to markets, stores, or even individuals’ homes. This ensures food reaches where it is needed in a timely and efficient manner.
- Matching food to need: AI can match surplus food from areas with excess to areas with insufficient food. For instance, if a farmer has excess crops, AI can assist in sending them to a food bank or a needy region.
AI Helps in Usage of Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance can kill up to 10 million lives annually by the year 2050. Much of the problem lies in overuse of antimicrobials in animal husbandry: 66% of antibiotics are applied to livestock, not humans.
Firms such as myAnIML and Serket apply computer vision technology to identify sickness in livestock so that farmers may treat their ailment immediately, thus reducing or eliminating the application of antibiotics.
AI Can Protect Aquaculture
As overfishing still depletes oceans, fish farming, or aquaculture, can serve to save waterways and marine life while continuing to offer much high-protein food. In some countries, where offshore aquaculture permitting is still in limbo, land-based fish farming (with controls and safeguards) is gaining momentum.Â
These are still developing farms and will virtually undoubtedly have to utilize AI and machine learning to track the health and weight of the fish, along with the condition of their surroundings.
The Role of AI in Fighting Hunger Globally
AI is not only about assisting farmers and saving food. It’s also about delivering food to the people who need it most. In hungry countries, AI can:
- Enhance food security: By anticipating food shortages and assisting in planning, AI can ensure that individuals always have access to enough food.
- Assistance during emergencies: AI can be used to quickly deliver food to impacted areas during natural disasters. It can even decide where to transport food first to save maximum lives.
- Assist governments and organizations: Governments can assist based on AI, helping them understand areas where most help is required. Organizations such as the UN may also use AI to better plan for and provide food assistance.
With the assistance of AI, starvation in most parts of the globe can be alleviated, and more individuals can access the food they require to live.
Conclusion: The Power of AI to End Hunger
AI can really make a difference in ending world food shortages. By assisting farmers in producing more food, minimizing waste, and optimizing food distribution, AI can feed more individuals globally. Though it won’t do everything, it’s a strong tool that can do big things.
With every advancement in technology, we could soon have AI-optimized computers take up the challenge to end the problem of hunger. The future will be brighter with AI helping us collaborate and ensuring everyone has something to eat. With AI to assist us, there is a chance for no hunger in this world
