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The strategy – a first for a UN programme – sets a blueprint for using AI to accelerate disaster response, enhance food security, and improve resource allocation.
In September 2022, Hurricane Fiona tore through the Caribbean, leaving a trail of destruction. What began as a tropical storm rapidly intensified, unleashing torrential rains that triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides.
When the storm made landfall in the Dominican Republic, near the eastern town of Boca de Yuma, its 140 kilometres per hour winds swelled rivers beyond their banks, displacing over 12,000 people and cutting off more than a million residents from clean water. Entire communities were stranded, roads washed away, and lives upended.
In past emergencies, WFP would have deployed drones to capture aerial footage, manually assessing the damage before crafting a response plan - a process that could take weeks. But with DEEP, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered tool, WFP was able to scan and analyze the imagery in hours, generating a heat map of the most damaged buildings. This allowed us to pinpoint the hardest-hit areas and direct support where it was needed most, faster than ever before.
It's part of a broader effort WFP is making to embrace AI as a force multiplier—outlined in its new AI Strategy, the first of its kind for a UN agency. The strategy charts a path for how AI can transform the way humanitarians assess emergencies, allocate resources, and deliver assistance, at a time As humanitarian needs grow and global funding becomes increasingly scarce, WFP is
Tools like DEEP are part of this broader AI-powered shift, designed to ensure every dollar stretches further and every response is faster, smarter, and more targeted.
"The imagery we picked up from drones was processed through DEEP, providing a first insight into the scale of the impact, including how many households were affected,” said Gabriela Alvarado, WFP Country Director for the Dominican Republic. “It allowed us to quantify the destruction, identify the most affected populations, and prioritize first-response efforts.”
The AI analysis also helped WFP map access roads and critical infrastructure, while distinguishing priority zones for intervention and potential safe zones for temporary shelter,” she noted.
"This type of information usually takes us a long time to estimate,” Alvarado added. “It’s a complex and challenging process to determine what to do, where to do it, and how to go about it. DEEP provided that information in a matter of hours."
With DEEP, WFP in the Dominican Republic was able to identify where help is most needed, faster and more effectively than ever before. Photo/WFP
A Global Strategy for AI in Humanitarian Action
DEEP is just one piece of a broader AI-powered transformation. WFP is leveraging AI to accelerate emergency response, maximize resources, and improve how assistance reaches those who need it most.
Today, we are taking this effort further with the launch of its first-ever Global Artificial Intelligence Strategy—a blueprint for integrating AI across our operations in the coming years.
“WFP has always been a leader in innovation—it’s in our DNA. Now, I want us to lead in harnessing AI’s power to transform humanitarian operations,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. “These technologies will revolutionize the humanitarian sphere—enhancing decision-making, boosting efficiency, and ensuring resources reach those most in need.”
AI’s Role in Tackling Global Hunger
The strategy comes at a critical moment, as rising humanitarian needs collide with an increasingly constrained funding environment.
AI is already proving essential in helping WFP adapt—enabling faster disaster response by cutting damage assessment times from weeks to days and accelerating the delivery of lifesaving assistance. It has also improved hunger forecasting accuracy by up to 85 percent, allowing WFP to act before food crises escalate.
At the same time, AI-powered identity verification has eliminated duplicate records with 99 percent accuracy, reducing costs and ensuring assistance reaches the right people.
“AI is about more than efficiency,” said Magan Naidoo, WFP’s Chief Data Officer and lead architect of the AI Strategy. “It’s about impact. From predicting the next drought to making sure food reaches those who need it most, AI helps us maximize our resources to feed more people.”
AI-powered verification is enabling WFP to eliminate duplicate identities to ensure the right person receives their intended assistance. WFP/Mahmoud Fadhel
WFP’s AI strategy is built on responsible innovation—ensuring AI is used ethically, transparently, and in line with humanitarian principles. By integrating AI into WFP’s broader approach to data, innovation and knowledge management, it aims to create Global Data, Innovation, and Knowledge Management create a cohesive digital ecosystem to enhance operations and maximize impact.
“With this strategy, WFP is taking a measured, responsible approach—harnessing AI’s potential to enhance what we can achieve,” Naidoo said, “helping us save more lives, faster.”