Izuchukwu Mayor, Lagos
NEC Corporation recently announced a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to strengthen collaborative development assistance in Africa, coinciding with the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9).
This, it said, will contribute to the aims of both parties to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through innovative and efficient technology-enabled assistance, particularly in the areas of agriculture and global health/nutrition.
In a statement issued soon after the sealing of agreements on August 18, NEC said: “Now, through the conclusion of this MOC, the organizations will contribute to building a more resilient and inclusive society by strengthening their collaboration mainly in the fields of agriculture and global health/nutrition.”
The deal will also “enhance the functionality of CropScope and the digital health checkup mobile application and utilizing various technologies to ensure sustainable development and to achieve the SDGs in Africa.”
Additionally, WFP and NEC have launched initiatives for the monitoring of farmland in Ethiopia and Zambia, using the agricultural ICT platform “CropScope” and also collaborated to improve maternal and child nutrition in Ghana through the use of a digital health checkup mobile application.
It further noted that aside from participating in the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), during the event, NEC held seminars and exhibitions on agriculture and global health at the “TICAD Business Expo and Conference” and at the Japan Fair.
Now, through the conclusion of this MOC, the organizations will contribute to building a more resilient and inclusive society by strengthening their collaboration mainly in the fields of agriculture and global health/nutrition.
President and Chief Executive Officer, NEC, Takayuki Morita, was quoted as saying: “We are pleased to strengthen our collaboration with WFP toward ensuring sustainable development in Africa.
“We are confident that, through this MOC, we can further create social value by co-creating with WFP and leveraging our expertise in technology.”
WFP, established in 1961, is a humanitarian aid agency of the United Nations whose mission is to eradicate world hunger by providing emergency food aid and development assistance in response to natural disasters and conflicts.
Its activities are financed by contributions from national governments and donations from private organizations and individuals, and in 2024 it delivered food to approximately 124 million people.
In recent years, the number of those in need of assistance has been increasing due to issues that include international conflicts, disasters, and pandemics, which pose serious challenges to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
WFP is working globally to create a world without hunger, and in order to achieve this goal with limited resources, it is essential to capitalize on technology that enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of assistance.
