Nepali journalist Anup Ojha, a correspondent for Agence France-Presse (AFP), has won second prize at the Developing Asia Journalism Awards (DAJA) 2026 for his report on Nepal’s use of artificial intelligence to strengthen landslide early warning systems. Ojha previously worked for The Kathmandu Post.

Ojha was recognised for his story, “Landslide-prone Nepal Tests AI-powered Warning System”, which examined Nepal’s efforts to deploy AI technology to predict landslides and provide at-risk communities with warnings during the monsoon season.

Organised by the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the awards honour journalism that sheds light on development challenges and innovative solutions across Asia. This year’s competition drew 79 entries from 17 countries, with a focus on how artificial intelligence is transforming economies, public services and daily life.

Ojha shared the second prize with Guinevere Latoza of the Philippine Centre for Investigative Journalism, whose investigation explored how the rapid expansion of data centres is affecting energy-burdened households in the Philippines.

The first prize was awarded jointly to Indonesian journalists Roni Satria of CNN Indonesia for “AI and Dietary Colonisation: When Nasi Uduk Is Considered a Sin” and Caecilia Mediana of Kompas for “Fate of Digital Platform Shadow Workers”. Khulan M. of Inside Mongolia received an honourable mention for “Can AI Strengthen Mongolia's Disaster Prevention?”

According to ADBI, the judging panel of journalists and researchers selected five winning entries. Each winner will receive a cash prize of $2,000, with the awards ceremony to be held online in August.

Ojha’s story highlighted both the promise and the challenges of applying AI in one of the world's most landslide-prone countries, where extreme monsoon rainfall, fragile terrain and climate change continue to increase disaster risks.