The UNDP is holding a climate action hackathon

folarin okunola

February 11, 2016 10:36 AM

Hackers at the UNDP event will work individually or in teams to create mobile apps, messaging solutions or data management systems that solve Africa’s persistent problems in adapting to climate change.

UNDP logo

Media reports reveal that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Climate Information for Resilient Development in Africa (CIRDA) has announced it is inviting software developers, mobile application gurus and innovation specialists to Livingstone, Zambia from March 15-17 to participate in the Climate Action Hackathon.

The UNDP hackathon will generate ideas and early prototypes for mobile and online applications that can provide climate and weather information to protect the lives and livelihoods of African communities that are vulnerable to climate change.

Innovation Village reports that the UNDP will provide up to 25 travel scholarships for hackers to cover their travel, lodging and meals during this event that will run alongside the UNDP workshop tagged “The Last Mile: Saving lives, improving livelihoods and increasing resiliency through tailored weather information services for a changing climate.”

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“The main goal of the hackathon is to find ways the application development community can help African weather services bridge the last mile with practical solutions to help people prepare and protect themselves from more frequent and severe storms, erratic weather patterns and long-term climate change,” said CIRDA Programme Manager Bonizella Biagini, according to an Innovation Village report.

Participants at the hackathon will be supplied with raw weather and climate data in addition to exclusive access to global experts in meteorology, climatology, technology, and communications from the UNDP, IRI and the Brown Institute - a collaboration between Columbia University and Stanford University designed to encourage and support new endeavors in media innovation.

folarin okunola