Google’s philanthropic arm Google.org has released grants of $3.3 million and $4 million to Wadhwani AI’s CottonAce app and CyberPeace Foundation respectively.
Wadhwani AI will deploy the funds towards developing artificial intelligence which will help farmers across India, On the other hand, CyberPeace Foundation will utilise the grant to develop and execute nationwide awareness and capacity-building initiatives.
CottonAce app allows farmers to upload pictures of pests, which are then analysed by AI to offer data-driven solutions for addressing cotton crop damage. The company helps farmers in fighting pests in cotton farms, and will now be expanded to fight pests in other Indian crops. The app also provides real-time information on weather, farming techniques, and crop prices, and according to the company, it has helped reduce pesticide cost by 25% and increase farmers’ profits by 20%.
Founded by Vineet Kumar, CyberPeace Foundation is a cybersecurity advocacy organisation which aims to equip 40 million people across India with fact-checking techniques and guidelines for responsible online behaviour through a comprehensive online learning centre offering resources in over 15 Indian languages.
Wadhwani AI and CyberPeace Foundation are among the 15 organisations globally to receive support through Google.org’s $25 million philanthropy challenge.
