We speak to Tim Harris, user engagement lead for the Data Science Hub of the Data Science Campus, Office for National Statistics. The purpose of the Hub is to support UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) staff and partners, including the wider UK Government, in the use of cutting-edge data science tools and frontier data sources for international development. 

A key part of the Hub’s work is to support near real-time decision making through the automation of data collection and analysis processes using frontier data technologies and machine learning approaches. We hear about interesting examples where these tools have been applied in the country contexts of Ivory Coast and South Sudan, where in the latter, satellite imagery and machine learning is being used to count cows where traditional surveys are not possible.

Links
Frontier Technology Hub blog post
Frontier Data Study - releasing the power of digital data for development