17 During COP27, Microsoft announced its partnership with weather technology provider Tomorrow.io. Both organisations will support governments, businesses and farmers in Africa to adapt to the increasing impact of climate change on the weather and agricultural produce. Tomorrow.io will also deploy its satellite coverage of real-time data with an AI-powered global weather model on Microsoft Azure’s High Performance Computing services to provide a cloud-based solution for climate adaptation and early weather warnings. This will allow users to prepare for disasters and adapt their farming techniques accordingly. “We are excited to collaborate with Tomorrow.io to bring climate adaptation solutions to Africa, where there is such an urgent need to address the effects of climate change,” said Kunle Awosika, managing director of the Africa transformation office at Microsoft. “Technology has the ability to accelerate the transition beyond sustainability pledges to progress, and collaborations like these are needed to shift the momentum to build a more sustainable future for all.” In addition, Microsoft Egypt revealed its intention to work with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) during COP27 to accelerate sustainability management. The joint initiative includes establishing a Government Center of Excellence for Emissions Accounting and Reporting, delivering training programmes in cloud computing and using AI to improve Egyptian agriculture. They will co-develop digital techniques to help farmers improve the use of water in irrigating crops and to take preventative measure to protect them. “We are working closely with MCIT to provide the necessary technology solutions that support the Egyptian government’s efforts to reduce the negative effects of climate change in line with the National Climate Change Strategy 2050,” said Mirna Arif, general manager of Microsoft Egypt, during the summit. DID YOU KNOW? Microsoft’s Airband programme, which aims to advance digital equity, has already connected some of the most remote rural areas to the internet and plans to continue increasing global digital skills. According to Microsoft, this new level of connectivity will allow farmers to develop new business models, production chains and electronic commerce, which will result in better produce and farming profits, as well as reducing carbon production. It will also help them use data to increase their yield and prepare for natural disasters. Photo: Microsoft Photo: Flickr/UN Climate Change “I think implementation is a fancy word for getting real work done,” said Microsoft’s vice chair and president Brad Smith at COP27
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