This is how we work, through research and innovation, to eradicate hunger in the world
To mark World Creativity and Innovation Day, Action Against Hunger presents the report “Innovating Against Hunger”, which collects and describes 12 research and innovation tools and projects from Action Against Hunger to eradicate hunger in the world.
APRIL 21, WORLD INNOVATION DAY
To mark World Creativity and Innovation Day, Action Against Hunger presents the report “Innovating Against Hunger”, which collects and describes 12 research and innovation tools and projects from Action Against Hunger to eradicate hunger in the world.
The report presents ongoing research and innovations already implemented by Action Against Hunger in the diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition, but also in relation to the management of natural resources and care for vulnerable populations in Spain, areas of work that are fundamental to achieving the organization's mission of eradicating hunger in the world.
Among the innovations related to the diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition, the mobile application SAM Photo stands out. This is a revolution in the identification of acute malnutrition in children from 6 months to 5 years of age, making diagnosis much easier and more accessible, speeding up treatment and expanding its coverage. Research is also described for the improvement of treatment against malnutrition, such as the one that the project Crescer is developing in Angola, studying the effectiveness of different basic actions to prevent and reduce chronic malnutrition in children under 5; or the one carried out by the TISA project in Senegal, investigating whether improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene can increase the recovery rate in cases of acute malnutrition.
The report also highlights the success of the approach iCCM+, which carries out the intervention for cases of severe acute malnutrition in children (SAM) through community health workers. This innovation in treatment was recognized in June 2023 by the World Health Organization as a recommended model for the treatment of SAM.
In terms of innovations related to the management of natural resources, the Geographic Information and Early Warning System for the Sahel, which uses artificial intelligence to process satellite data in real time and provide information on biomass, water availability, livestock status, animal diseases and bushfires, and, on the other hand, the Decarbonizing Humanitarian Emergency Response project, which aims to measure the energy demand required for humanitarian emergency deployments and offers renewable solutions based on solar energy that can be applied in the field.
In Spain
In Spain, where Action Against Hunger is present in ten autonomous communities and in 2023 attended to more than 5,000 people, Action Against Hunger is developing an innovative Early Warning System to monitor invisible hunger by region and anticipate the action of social, health and political entities at the local level. This innovation joins others such as the Solidarity Aid card and the Vives Emplea Saludable program, a pioneer in offering a wide range of activities related to food, physical activity, sleep and rest.
Action Against Hunger has a Research, Development and Innovation department dedicated to developing increasingly effective solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition, the management of natural resources and the promotion of inclusion and equity. In this video of its director, Amador Gómez, you can find out more about how we innovate at Action Against Hunger.
