157 that were fed by the reservoir. The loss of water will have a huge impact on agricultural production in Ukraine and Russian-occupied territories until the dam can be rebuilt.” Knowing the food-related impacts on people helps the network of providers prioritize relief work and devise longerterm strategies—such as determining how to fill the gap in grain caused by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Expanding the Reach Analysts at Cornell University and local universities such as Marondera University in Zimbabwe also use the data stored in the DIEM Hub to examine root causes of food insecurity and to come up with strategies to mitigate hunger. “Professors and their students investigate possible connections between shocks and food insecurities,” Amparore said. “They explore the factors that can increase or decrease the resilience of certain households compared to others.” To further extend analytical capabilities, the DIEM team is investigating how artificial-intelligence-based machine learning can process imagery and further automate answers to questions. While only a few years old, DIEM has gained momentum and a growing appreciation from the community of food providers it serves. The work appeared in the world’s leading multidisciplinary science journal Nature. The team has visits planned to the various DIEM regions to build awareness of the available data and encourage local investment in the initiative. All DIEM data goes through a rigorous process to ensure its quality. ©FAO. In its ongoing work, DIEM will continue to build awareness of the tool to support sustained food monitoring. The goal is to foster stability in the countries prone to multiple shocks. “What we hear in the headlines is people being given emergency food, which is clearly a critical intervention,” Marsland said. “What we’re trying to understand in more detail is what other needs these households have to support their livelihoods and their families—and as importantly, what to do about it.” Mitigating Risk and Increasing Resilience
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