Using ArtificiaI Intelligence to Fight Poverty in Malawi | Dr William Derban

In this episode, Nathi Mcetywa interviews Dr William Derban from Opportunity International about how artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to fight poverty in Malawi. Opportunity International is an international NGO that provides financial solutions and training to help people out of poverty. They have developed an AI application called Ulangizi, which is available on WhatsApp and provides farmers with information on what to plant and how to improve their yields. The app is designed in the local language, Chichewa, and is accessible to farmers through extension officers. The ongoing evaluation and consultation process ensures that the app is meeting the needs of the farmers and providing accurate information.

Keywords
artificial intelligence, AI, poverty, Malawi, Opportunity International, Ulangizi, farmers, agriculture, language, scaling, partnerships

Takeaways
Opportunity International is an international NGO that provides financial solutions and training to help people out of poverty.
Ulangizi is an AI application developed by Opportunity International that provides farmers in Malawi with information on what to plant and how to improve their yields.
The app is designed in the local language, Chichewa, and is accessible to farmers through extension officers.
Ongoing evaluation and consultation ensure that the app is meeting the needs of the farmers and providing accurate information.
Partnerships and collaborations are important for scaling and expanding the reach of technology solutions.