Using AI to predict drought in Kenya

The global climate continues to spoil the rising temperature and intense drought with the crisis. According to the World Health Organization, estimated 55 million people worldwide are affected by droughts every year – the hope of growing as climate change becomes more extreme.

Through The Power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the fourth year of Science student at Waterloo University, Andrew Watford, is addressing this challenge by developing more accurate and explanatory equipment for the forecast of drought.

In mathematical physics program, as part of their co-opted period and as a researcher in the field, as a stellar promise, Watford to AI’s use on the use of AI to analyze vegetable health and forecast dried patterns in Kenya in Kenya The opportunity was given to contribute in. Paper, now Published In Ecological information scienceThe performance of a mechanical model compared the two physics-informed machine learning point of view.

Watford’s role under the supervision of DRS. Chris Bouch (faculty of mathematics) and sweet pleasure (Gulef University) included code writing code to predict the generalized difference botanical index (NDVI) in the dry-torn areas of Kenya. Through further purification of these models, the purpose of research is to increase machine learning methods to improve the prediction of drought, giving rise to the development of early warning systems and mitigation strategies.

“Our goal was to bring mathematics and machine learning together to develop new functioning and predict drought,” says Wattford. “We are still far away from predicting five years drought in the future with certainty, but this is a step towards trying to find the best way to do so.”

The ability to predict drought first provides immense benefits, enabling local governments to implement effective water management strategies, select farmers drought resistant crops and to increase natural disaster preparations significantly Which can save life.

At a time where climate change and natural disasters are becoming more prevalent, it becomes important to include machine learning models to help reduce these dangers. Home for the largest co-op program in a research-intensive university, more than 70% of students to get two years of employment experience during their studies, Watford applied to Waterloo University to apply his learning in this real. Gave credit for being competent. -World problem.

“Research does not end up with being able to predict drought,” they say. “It is a developed tool that will help people and save life.”