The US Agency for International Development (USAID) on Thursday announced a $300,000 Challenge for Data-Driven Solutions for Food Security through the US government’s Feed the Future Initiative in a bid to help Nepali farmers increase value from agricultural productivity. USAID challenges innovators to find tools that help Nepali smallholder farmers improve productivity. 

This USAID-funded competition will award $300,000 for solutions tailored to Nepal’s varied terrain. The competition aims to generate better collection and use of data to help farmers and community actors make effective choices. 

Four awardees who best demonstrate solutions for smallholder farmers and Nepal’s agriculture sector as a whole will win cash prizes and mentoring. 

“Aggregated data on weather patterns, pests, soils and crop management is crucial information for smallholder farmers,” said Peter Malnak, USAID Nepal Mission Director.  (PR)