Lessons from Ukraine for a sustainable future

With Ukraine under siege, a powerful lesson emerges: resilience and technological innovation hold the key not just for survival, but for building a better future for developing economies.

As war ravages this fertile breadbasket, jeopardising harvests and fuelling global hunger, the innovative spirit shines through.

Ukrainian farmers, defying the bombs and bullets, are harnessing AI-powered drones to clear their mine-scarred fields, paving the way for a future where these same technologies could be repurposed to address the challenges of climate change and food insecurity.

Lawrence Freedman, in his book on “Strategy,” aptly declares information superiority the lifeblood of modern warfare. This dominance, forged in intricate sensors, lightning-fast networks, and sophisticated modelling, are all over Ukrainian fields. Both sides deploy drones, weaving a deadly tango of survey and attack.

But behind the grim reaper’s scythe marches a curious paradox. The invasion serves as a brutal incubator for technological advancement, not unlike the Cold War space race that birthed GPS and countless other breakthroughs. Could this tribulation, instead of spewing weapons, yield tools for food security and climate adaptation?

Consider the farmers of Ukraine, defying the hail of shells to decontaminate the land using AI-powered mine detection. Their tenacity, coupled with the precision of advanced technology, offers a glimpse into a future where drones map not battlefields, but fertile soil, guiding precision agriculture and optimizing land use.

Caitlin Welsh of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies underscores the urgency: “Ending the war and enabling Ukrainian and Russian farmers to resume production isn’t just good for them, it’s good for the world.” With these two nations accounting for a staggering chunk of global wheat, maize, and sunflower trade, their agricultural return is key to averting global famine.

But the lessons transcend trade. The satellite eyes that scan for enemy movements can be trained to map drought-stricken landscapes and predict extreme weather events. Early warning systems, like the one championed by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres , can be bolstered by battlefield tech, saving lives and livelihoods from climate change’s fury.

Information, that potent weapon, can become a bridge. Instead of fuelling conflict, it can connect farmers across borders, sharing knowledge on drought-resistant crops and sustainable practices. Here, Kenya steps onto the world stage, embracing the mantle of knowledge facilitator. Kenya, with its burgeoning tech scene, deep understanding of agriculture, and strong diplomatic standing, is uniquely positioned to champion Prof Detlef Muller-Mahn’s approach to knowledge sharing-traveling ideas, riskscapes and micro-geography.  These approaches emphasize open forums, collaboration, and co-creation, fostering an environment where ideas can cross borders and flourish.

Imagine Nairobi hosting not peace talks, but knowledge summits, bringing together Ukrainian and Kenyan farmers, tech experts, and climate scientists. Imagine Kenyan engineers adapting and refining Ukrainian drone technology for soil mapping and water management in drought-stricken regions. Imagine Kenyan diplomats building alliances with nations affected by climate change, sharing these tools and fostering a global network of resilience.

It is time for Kenya to rise as a bridge, not just between warring nations, but between the battlefields of the present and the breadbaskets of the future. By nurturing partnerships, championing open knowledge exchange, and adapting battlefield tech for good, Kenya can play a pivotal role in turning bombs into bytes and battlefields into breadbaskets. The fight for a sustainable future may begin in the fields of Ukraine, but it will be won in the collaborative spirit of shared knowledge and technology, a spirit that Kenya can proudly champion.

— The writer is a climate change and food system communication consultant

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