Girls Who Innovate 2017 Winner, Agnieszka: How to Make an Impact

Everything starts with the question “WHY?”

For years people from all around the world cudgel their brains to find out how to solve the problem of world hunger. Unfortunately, it’s so complex and time-consuming that it has to take a lot of multistage activities with usage of the newest technologies. At least one seventh of world’s population suffers from malnutrition.

At first, we should look at some reasons why world hunger exists, because the word “why” is always the key. We used to start asking this question when we were children and I believe it should never change. Furthermore, I think for scientist and creators of new technologies it’s an obligation to always ask the question “why”.

So… WHY?

Why has this global tragedy taken place?

I am focusing on a few problems, but there are many. A huge amount of people suffering from hunger are unaware of better ways to feed livestock. For example, reducing grain for cattle. Grain doesn’t give livestock even a half of proteins that could be alternatively received from peas.

Drawing from Agnieszka’s original submission

Enormous parts of fields are being taken by local authorities to produce luxurious goods, later to be sold to rich countries. This results in the lack of possibility to cultivate soil by the locals, ergo taking away an opportunity for them to feed their own families.

My idea: technology was made to help humanity

At first, I recommend establishing a cooperation between UNESCO and world’s media giants such as Facebook or Twitter. It would mean spending some money on our goal for every hash-tagged post, e.g. #wecanfightitmade by any single person around the world.

At the same time, I suggest making an educational campaign on social media, which would sensitize people to the real problem of world hunger. If people don’t hear it, we have to make them see it. And, make them feel that there’s always a chance to change the world for better – even with such small thing as post on Twitter.

Secondly, I recommend proper development of gained resources. This includes purchasing:

• hi-tech straightforward agricultural machines, to make everything easier
• specific seeds (ones which are best for the people living on concrete area)

Constructing robots designed with:

• A program which can research geological possibilities of soil (choosing certain types of soil for certain types of seeds), so we could know where would be the best to sow which plant.
• A program to which we input such information as: the number and the average age of population living in a single village and checked information about the soil. In a result programme gives us back the number and kinds of plants which would give enough harvests to feed all of the people living there, according to the rules of healthy nutrition.
• A possibility to mark certain cultivated crops and to play video tutorial about how to use agricultural machines. These ones would be made in the language of residents.

(The best option would be recording it with the residents of one of the villages to convince others.)

• An intelligent system answering questions asked by residents (by voice –due to the problem of illiteracy) concerned about using machines and farming
• Solar batteries and an alarm system (connected with satellites) guarding form theft and vandalism.

Of course, we would need a group of specialist, a lot of time, a huge amount of work and true intentions, but I believe it’s worthwhile. At the end, the outcome of our efforts can be incredible. And with a lot of little steps we can change the world, just like the Confucius philosophy, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Why? Because I want to change the world

Girls Who Innovate and me: how did it happen?

I found out about this competition while scrolling my Facebook. Just like that, my school shared post about it, but when I saw it, there were only two weeks left to the end of the term.

I thought “Wow, what an amazing opportunity to think deeply about such tragic topic, maybe my idea could help someone invent the best possible solution for this problem and maybe it’s one of this small changes I can make in the world.” But when I saw the terms I wasn’t that optimistic. Two weeks? When people spend years thinking how to change this situation? I wasn’t that confident to this competition.

And I wouldn’t start making this project without my friend, Daniel, who convinced me to try. He told me that at least there is nothing to lose, and there is a great chance to make a big idea and share it officially with people from all around the world at the blog of one of the biggest technology leaders. And I’ve just tried. Taking photos, thinking, creating and translating took me one and a half week in total. Now, I’m a finalist and my idea received distinction. And I couldn’t do it without the support of my educator Ms. Bernadetta Łozińska-Ziemborak and my fantastic friends. Thank you all!