Since last fiscal year, JICA has been running "Pacific-DIVE," a program that finds and supports innovative technologies and business ideas from Japanese companies to help solve development challenges in the Pacific region. The results of the call for proposals held in July have now been announced.
The selected proposal is from SORA Technology Inc. The activity will take place in Papua New Guinea, where satellite data, multi-scale drones and AI analysis will be combined in a demonstration project for disaster prevention at remote open-pit mines.
Going forward, the company plans to travel to the site and carry out demonstration activities toward solving local challenges, in coordination with JICA projects in the region.
Key points
- Putting Japanese companies' technology and ideas to work on Pacific development challenges
- A disaster-prevention demonstration combining satellite data, drones and AI
- Demonstration activities carried out in coordination with JICA's local projects
Why this news is worth noting
International cooperation is often associated with governments and NGOs, but companies' technologies are increasingly joining local problem-solving. Pacific-DIVE is one scheme through which JICA opens that door.
Disaster prevention in remote areas is directly tied to protecting lives and livelihoods. How the demonstration unfolds will be a useful reference.
Editor's comment
This news shows how the paths into international cooperation are gradually widening, through technology and ideas.
We'll keep watching how the work of NGOs and citizens connects with the efforts of companies and JICA. For details, please see JICA's announcement.