2021
Call for Code AI
About
As the United Nations warns, “The impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Without drastic action today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly.” In response to this stark reality and the far-reaching devastation of climate change, the 2021 Global Challenge was structured around the following three pivotal sub-themes, each addressing a critical dimension of our planet’s urgent needs.
Clean Water and Sanitation
Water is the natural resource that is most threatened by climate change and a prerequisite for life on Earth. From intelligent solutions for small farmers to recycling showers, technology can make a significant impact on the availability of water and its consumption.
Zero Hunger
135 million people suffer from acute hunger, with climate change a major contributing factor. Technology can help farmers to grow more crops in areas on the edge of drought or organizations to quickly distribute perishables from small stores to local homeless shelters.
Responsible Production and Green Consumption
Worldwide consumption and production drives the global economy, yet is inextricably linked to the environment. Technology can help in many ways, from recommendations on energy efficiency to highlighting the carbon footprint of purchases we make.
Grand Prize:
Saaf Water
Healthy, usable water is becoming harder to come by as much of it is found to be contaminated. Saaf Water is a hardware-software solution that monitors various water quality parameters, allowing for a diverse user base to have the information they need when considering the use of the water that surrounds them. And now, after winning the grand prize, they can expand their solution and assist more communities in need.
First Runner Up:
Green Farm
Community-supported agriculture continues to grow, but consumers face uncertainty around quality, and farmers struggle to reach new markets. Green Farm makes agriculture more sustainable while connecting local producers and consumers. The solution’s VR functionality allows users to view plots of arable land and contract farmers to grow crops. It features a seed marketplace and provides instructions for the entire growing cycle. Once crops have matured, the farmer can ship to the consumer or sell via the app, and the solution ensures traceability and trust throughout via IBM Blockchain.
Second Runner Up:
Project Scavenger
The new normal of remote work has been a significant adjustment for everyone. Many fail to consider the environmental impact that remote work has revealed. The dramatic increase of at-home offices being propped up has meant increased demand to produce devices needed for the workday, which in turn puts stress on the environment that is absorbing increased waste from manufacturers. Project Scavenger is an app that leverages IBM Watson to enable individuals to responsibly dispose of their devices, limiting the amount of waste harming the environment.
