Google AI Predicts Floods 5 Days Early, Triggers Pre-Disaster Cash Aid to Bangladesh Farmers
Summary
Google's AI system now predicts floods five days in advance in Bangladesh, triggering automatic $85 cash payments to farmers before disasters strike, allowing them to protect livestock and crops rather than rebuild after devastation, with trials showing pre-flood aid proves more effective than traditional post-disaster relief.
Key Points
- Google's Flood Hub uses AI to deliver flood warnings five days in advance to farmers in Bangladesh, allowing nonprofit GiveDirectly to send cash aid before floods strike rather than after disaster occurs
- The pilot program provides unconditional cash transfers of $85 to affected households, with farmers planning to use the money to buy livestock, harvest crops early, and strengthen their homes before flooding hits
- Trials in Nigeria show farmers who receive early cash assistance invest more in farm inputs and animals compared to those receiving aid after floods, prompting a larger randomized trial covering over 100,000 families in Bangladesh for 2026