NEC Shares Biometrics Expertise with UN to Fight Global Hunger

NEC has agreed to share its biometrics expertise with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Through the partnership, the WFP will be able to upgrade the SCOPE digital identity management platform that the organization uses to distribute food and other benefits.

The move is in keeping with the UN’s broader interest in biometric technology, which has been integral to the organization’s refugee policies over the past few years. Using biometric authentication in hunger relief efforts will promote inclusion and help the WFP distribute food more equitably, even to those without any form of official documentation.

The WFP believes biometric tech will help it achieve the second of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which calls for an end to world hunger. Biometric tech is expected to boost nutrition, sustainable agriculture, and food security, and will also allow the UN to provide other services like money transfers.

“It is an honor for NEC to be contributing to the global activities of WFP with our expertise in IT and biometric authentication technology,” said NEC Chairman of the Board Nobuhiro Endo. “This MoU will bring about a digital transformation that helps to promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

The UNHCR, the United Nations’ refugee agency, recently announced that it was looking to hire expert consultants to assist with digital identity management. NEC’s efforts to that end through its work with the WFP should further the company’s own public health initiatives.

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August 28, 2019 – by Eric Weiss