In Somalia, AI is helping deliver food to hungry families. By Isaiah Steinberg Amid a deepening hunger crisis in Somalia, artificial intelligence (AI) is helping to deliver aid to the people who need it most. Although the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) cannot reach all 6 million Somalis facing hunger, data collected by its partners and analysed through AI tools in its hunger-tracking platform HungerMap Live help the agency position resources in specific areas before conditions deteriorate. Somalia faces climate change-induced droughts followed by flash floods and a brutal conflict that has persisted for 35 years and killed hundreds of thousands. The Horn of Africa country also imports most of its food, exposing it to global price shocks such as the current conflict in the Middle East. In June, WFP and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) added Somalia to their list of "hunger hotspots of highest concern" alongside northeast Nigeria, joining Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and Palestine. "It is a very gruesome situation, and I'm very, very concerned about these next few weeks and months," said Simon Renk, head of vulnerability, analysis and mapping for the WFP in Somalia. Using AI in Burhakaba. In the Burhakaba District, about 180 kilometres northwest of the capital, Mogadishu, dangerously malnourished children fill local medical centres. WFP's humanitarian workers identified the district's urgent need using the AI tools in HungerMap Live. Armed with that knowledge, the agency provided food assistance to 48,000 people and nutrition support to 3,000 women and children. "Instead of waiting for that malnutrition of children to deteriorate and lead to displacement or even death, we knew it prior," Mr. Renk told UN News. Old technology, new lifesaving potential. First launched in January 2020 to monitor food security in more than 90 countries, HungerMap Live is a publicly-accessible platform that uses data on food insecurity, climate, economies, agriculture, inflation and more to display areas that are currently food insecure or moving in that direction. Although that initial version of HungerMap Live used AI to estimate levels of food insecurity in countries lacking sufficient data, its ability to predict future hunger crises was limited and it did not track the nutritional quality of diets in the countries it tracks. Enter HungerMap Live 2.0. Released by WFP in April, the update overhauled the user interface and introduced new predictive AI features, allowing governments and WFP field offices around the world to mobilise resources and act before a crisis worsens. "With this new version, it helps us not only to describe where hunger is but also helps us to explain why conditions are deteriorating and where they could worsen next," Mr. Renk said. While the data from HungerMap Live cannot replace on-the-ground assessment, it helps the WFP team in Somalia determine which communities to help first and which type of aid is most helpful to a particular community - whether it be cash assistance or specialised assistance to address malnutrition. Prioritising aid in Somalia. In a country where 6 million people experience crisis levels of food insecurity, the WFP is only able to reach one in 10 people in need. WFP's office in Somalia requires an additional $192 million between now and January 2027 to reach everyone who needs food, Mr. Renk said. With resources stretched thin, he said AI-powered tools help the agency decide which communities to prioritise and help cut the time between early warning and lifesaving action. Using AI, WFP analyses predictive data on rainfall deficits, flood risk, market prices, conflict and nutrition around the world to forecast where hunger will strike next - allowing governments to take preventive action and WFP and its partners to pre-position crucial assistance. Time is of the essence. "This platform and different solutions are not meant to make hunger more technical or abstract. What I see is fundamentally to shorten the time between an early warning and a real decision in order to protect a family and individual before it really becomes irreversible," said Simon Renk, head of vulnerability, analysis and mapping for WFP in Somalia. But Mr. Renk stressed that using AI to help make difficult decisions doesn't compensate for the fact that most Somalis who need help will not be able to get it. "It helps us to prioritise with stronger evidence," Mr. Renk said. "But in itself, it doesn't make the shortage of support acceptable." Receive daily updates directly in your inbox - Subscribe here to a topic. Download the UN News app for your iOS or Android devices.

Italian startup Aflabox bags $1.54 million to tackle mycotoxin risks across African supply chains. The funding will help Aflabox speed up its shift from testing technology to developing and selling its products. It will also help the company to finalise its device certification, expand its presence in Kenya, Nigeria and Italy. Vigneshwar. Editor's note: African-Startups is a sister publication of EU-Startups, bringing trusted coverage of startups, venture capital, and innovation across Africa. Aflabox, the Italian AgriTech startup operating across Italy and Africa from its Nairobi base, has closed a $1.54 million (€1.35 million) Seed round to scale its portable mycotoxin detection platform across African and European markets. The round was completed through FoodSeed, the agrifood programme of CDP Venture Capital's National Accelerator Network, managed by Eatable Adventures. Farming Future, the National Agrifood Tech Transfer Hub promoted by CDP Venture Capital in partnership with ToSeed and Partners, also participated. The funding will help Aflabox speed up its shift from testing technology to developing and selling its products. It will also help the company to finalise its device certification, expand its presence in Kenya, Nigeria and Italy. This will improve a platform that makes it easier to test for mycotoxins, check the quality of goods, and monitor food safety right at the places where agricultural products are grown, bought, stored, processed, and shipped. "Aflabox is a tangible example of how technology and innovation can help make agrifood supply chains safer, more efficient and more transparent. The team has developed a solution with significant growth and impact potential, capable of addressing a highly relevant need at an international level. We are delighted to support the company in this new phase of development and to contribute to its industrial and commercial growth," said José Luis Cabañero, CEO and Founder of Eatable Adventures. Part of the investment will also be used to enhance the artificial intelligence platform, improve detection accuracy, expand the distribution network across Africa and Europe, as well as build a micro-factory to produce Aflabox devices. Aflabox has already supplied 20 devices to the World Food Programme in Kenya and began its commercial development by presenting the technology at the Cereal Millers Association Annual Technical Conference in April 2026. Aflabox was founded in 2024 by Luca Alinovi and Fabrizio Cardillo, two professionals with complementary backgrounds combining scientific expertise, international development experience, entrepreneurial vision and first-hand knowledge of African markets. Aflabox has built a portable platform that combines UV imaging, artificial intelligence, and geolocated data to detect mycotoxins and assess the commercial quality of grains directly in the field. Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by certain species of fungi and can contaminate maize, grains, flour, seeds, nuts and animal-derived products. Among them, aflatoxins represent one of the major threats to global food safety, affecting human health, product quality, the commercial value of commodities and access to domestic and international markets. "We created Aflabox in response to a tangible problem we observed directly in the field: when testing is distant, expensive and slow, too many decisions across the supply chain are made without reliable data," said Fabrizio Cardillo and Luca Alinovi, founders of Aflabox The system uses UV and white-light imaging to analyse samples. It processes this information with AI and produces digital results that can help various users, including farmers, trading companies, and international organisations. Each scan produces a digital result in under 90 seconds, replacing laboratory tests that can take hours or days and require specialised equipment. Farmers can check crop quality in the field. Collection centres and traders can use it for better purchasing and storage decisions. Food companies and exporters can improve quality control and traceability. The data collected can also aid governments and public organisations in planning food safety programs and tracking contamination risks. Headquartered in Italy and operating from Nairobi through Aflazero Ltd, the company has also completed an initial validation phase for its artificial intelligence-based technology and filed a patent application covering its solution. Join the Club Stay updated with the latest news and articles.

WFP, ZMX partner to boost farmers' market access. STAFF WRITER The World Food Programme (WFP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX) aimed at strengthening Zimbabwe's agricultural food systems and improving market access for farmers. The agreement, signed at the WFP Zimbabwe offices in Harare, will enhance cooperation between the two organisations in agricultural markets, food systems development and farmer support initiatives. WFP Zimbabwe Representative and Country Director Barbara Clemens said the partnership would help transform the agricultural sector by connecting farmers to markets and supporting sustainable food systems. "From our experience in countries like Ghana, we are sure that taking this initiative will help strengthen Zimbabwe's agricultural food systems and advance a future where farmers, markets and communities can thrive," said Clemens. She said the collaboration would create stronger links between producers and markets while enabling smallholder farmers to participate more effectively in formal agricultural trading systems. ZMX Chief Executive Officer Collen Tapfumaneyi said the partnership would combine WFP's global expertise with ZMX's market infrastructure to develop practical solutions for Zimbabwe's agricultural sector. "This partnership is expected to improve efficiency, transparency and resilience in Zimbabwe's agricultural sector while strengthening the capacity of smallholder farmers," said Tapfumaneyi. The partnership is expected to improve farmers' access to reliable markets, promote fair trading systems and unlock new opportunities across the agricultural value chain.