How Google-supported Indian organisations are tackling climate change with help of AI

Two Indian non-profit organisations, Gujarat Mahila Housing Sewa Trust and Villgro Innovation Foundation, are utilising artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and the Internet of Things (IoT) to tackle the threats of water scarcity and flooding in India, according to Google. These organisations were among the 13 local sustainability organisations selected to receive support from the APAC Sustainability Seed Fund, which aims to explore new use cases for AI, ML, and IoT models to help manage water supply and inundation risks across the country.

According to Sanjay Gupta, Country Head and Vice President of Google India, "India's population could be susceptible to severe water-related challenges across its vast geographic landscape and many climatic zones if global temperatures cross the threshold temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius, which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change expects could occur within this decade."

The grant is part of Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, and was awarded in partnership with the Asian Development Bank to the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN).

Gujarat Mahila Housing Sewa Trust aims to empower and equip women across India to build sustainable and gender-inclusive cities by providing training and technical expertise in construction, technology, and urban governance. With the financial support received from the grant, the organization intends to create an AI-based model aimed at enhancing climate resilience in Amalner, Maharashtra. The model is expected to act as a blueprint for similar small urban towns in India, providing them with an effective framework to mitigate the impacts of climate change and build resilience to natural disasters. The project aims to pioneer the mapping of land use and catchment areas to predict their susceptibility to floods and inundation, thereby contributing to the protection of natural drainage systems.

Furthermore, the grant is also providing support to the Villgro Innovation Foundation's collaboration with 'CultYvate' to design a mobile and browser-based application that utilizes IoT sensors, satellite data, and AI/ML models. This application will offer real-time insights and guidance to farmers in India, assisting them in effectively managing irrigation and making informed decisions about water usage, leading to more sustainable practices and higher crop yields. By leveraging these technologies, the platform will enable farmers to make informed decisions about water usage, leading to more sustainable practices and improved crop yields.

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