According to the World Food Program, over 800 million people worldwide do not know where their next will meal will come from. 349 million people across 79 countries face acute food insecurity. This number increased by 200 million since 2021. 900,000 people globally are struggling to survive famine like conditions. The leading causes of hunger are conflict, climate crisis and global fertilizer prices.
Based on the 1996 World Food Summit, food security is defined when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life. Technology has a critical role to play, for example by:
Applications will be reviewed and assessed by a panel of independent experts on AI, robotics and food security. The panel will first review applications to create a shortlist. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to present their applications to the full panel via a virtual meeting. The panel will then meet to discuss the merits of shortlisted applicants and select the winner. Employees of the FII Institute will have no influence over decision making and will not be a part of the advisory panel.
Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:
Applications from developing and emerging STEM nations are highly encouraged. Weighting points will be added to such submissions, based on the country of origin’s position in the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Country Classification System. Fundamental excellence and impact remain the overriding consideration of the judges but the weighting points will be used to ensure that these are viewed in the context of the applicants’ access to opportunity and resources.
Details of the independent judging panel will be published soon.
One winning application will receive a grant of USD 1 million to accelerate the development and application of their technology to promote food security. Prize money should be allocated within three years of receipt. A brief report will be required after three years detailing how the funds were used.
One representative from each shortlisted application will be expected to participate in an in-person, expenses-paid symposium on AI and robotics for food security that will take place at the FII 7th edition in Riyadh, 24–26 October 2023.
All applications must take place via the online submission system. Application is free of charge. All applications must be in English.
The application need not be submitted by the research group leader, though the research group leader will need to sign-off the completed application.
Apply now.
Guidelines for applicants
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The FII Institute is partnering with Springer Nature to administer the Algoritmi Prize. Springer Nature is helping to build awareness of the prize and is providing support to the independent judging panel. Springer Nature employees have no influence on the evaluation of applications.
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