A biometric vending machine to distribute grains directly to rations recipients has won an award from the WFP Innovation Accelerator as one of the top innovations for helping prevent hunger, India Education Diary reports.
Beneficiaries can use their ration card to claim eligibility using a built-in touchscreen, according to News18.com, and authenticate their identity with biometrics. The GrainATM can reportedly issue 70kg of grains in as little as five minutes with negligible error in measurement.
It has potential use for food-based safety nets, food grain distribution during emergencies, and increasing market access for smallholder farmers.
Ankit Sood, WFP India Head Supply Chain and PDS Unit
The WFP Innovation Accelerator:
It is an initiative by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) aimed at identifying, nurturing, and scaling up innovative solutions to disrupt hunger and accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2, which aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.