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Big Data and AI in Africa: Why the Future of the Continent Is Artificially Intelligent and Digitally Enabled
Life would be easier for the average African if technology were utilized to its fullest potential. According to Jasmine Nnenne Mbadugha at the London School of Economics and Political Science, the continent's digital potential can be seen particularly at the intersection of big data and artificial intelligence. She explores how Africa can leverage these two emerging technologies to support economic development and play a role in the global digital revolution – and how it can overcome some key challenges it will face in the process.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
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Viewpoint: Fintech Regulations, Financial Stability, and Data Privacy in India: So, What Is the Path to Go Forward?
In a recent development, the Delhi High Court received a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) from an applied economist, Reshmi P Bhaskaran, seeking to regulate the entry and operations of ‘TechFin’ platforms. Inter alia, the PIL asked the High Court to help develop a regulatory framework around the TechFin industry, also popularly known as the FinTech domain. Since then, the High Court has sought replies from various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Law, Ministry of Finance, RBI, SEBI, and NPCI regarding this issue.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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A Silver Lining During the Pandemic: Three Financial Inclusion Success Stories in the Age of COVID-19
COVID-19 has had a dramatic negative impact on businesses across practically all sectors. When it comes to financial inclusion, the pandemic has sparked concerns about a widening digital divide, rising gender inequality, growing skepticism over informal financial practices, and the risk of overlooking financially vulnerable customers. But as Anshul Saxena at MSC points out, the crisis has also generated some encouraging success stories. He highlights three businesses that have found ways to thrive during the pandemic.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Innovations for Transparency: Disruptive Technology Enters the Carbon Offsetting Space
Carbon offsetting allows a net-positive carbon emitter to pay a net-negative emitter to offset their emissions, by trading carbon credits representing one ton of greenhouse gas. In theory, this system can help the world account for the unavoidable gasses emitted in the transition to a low-carbon economy. But as Kavit Borkhataria at AlliedCrowds explains, in practice, it's hard to confirm if carbon reduction projects are actually delivering the emission reductions they claim. He discusses some tech-fueled innovations that can boost transparency and push the market forward.
- Categories
- Environment, Technology
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Y Combinator-Backed Drip Capital Crosses $1 Billion Milestone in Trade Financing for Small Businesses
Credit and Finance for MSMEs: Drip has recorded a 50 per cent quarter-on-quarter growth in the last three quarters, according to Co-founder and CEO Pushkar Mukewar.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- business development, data, MSMEs, startups
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A Tentative Recovery: Survey Data Shows Signs of Progress – and Warnings of Future Distress – Among Kenyan Farmers During COVID-19
It’s estimated that over 50 million people are in need of immediate food assistance in the Horn, East and Central Africa. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues into 2021, Kenyan farmers’ ability to weather this crisis is at the heart of the region’s recovery, say Venu Aggarwal and Kelsey Jarrett at 60 Decibels. They share data 60 Decibels has collected from thousands of Kenyan farmers, revealing both slight improvements since the early days of the crisis, and the danger of more severe, longer-term financial distress.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Coronavirus, Transportation
- Tags
- COVID-19, data, digital inclusion
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Analysis: Data-Driven Social Safety Net Response to the COVID-19 Crisis in Ghana
The government’s social protection authorities augmented and adjusted existing data systems to help inform the design, implementation, and monitoring of the country’s social safety net response to the pandemic.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- data, governance
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COVID-19’s Impact on Indian Agriculture: How Data Should Drive Future Policies
The Indian agricultural economy is made up of complex market linkages connecting approximately 263 million agricultural workers to over 1 billion consumers. When COVID-19 locked down the economy, many feared the sector would be crippled, yet these networks seemed remarkably robust – at least at first. However, analysts at IDinsight share data suggesting that agricultural markets may not be as healthy as market figures suggest, and explore policy prescriptions that could strengthen the sector in the long term.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Coronavirus, Transportation
- Tags
- COVID-19, data, food security
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