Revolutionizing Fisheries: AI-Powered FishFace System Enhances Conservation in Indonesia
A recent study published in the journal Science highlights the importance of environmental conservation in slowing and potentially reversing biodiversity loss. Researchers discovered that while conservation efforts were often beneficial, they did not always completely halt the decline in biodiversity. The findings suggest that various conservation strategies are usually effective and essential in addressing biodiversity loss.
World Nature Conservation Day is an opportunity to reflect on our responsibility to protect the planet's biodiversity and support ecosystem stability. At Cisco, one of the core pillars of our environmental sustainability strategy, The Plan for Possible, is investing in resilient ecosystems. We encourage you to explore the meaningful work being done by our nonprofit partners, who demonstrate that every action matters and collaboration is key to improving our planet's health.
Reconnecting Northland, a non-governmental organization based in Northland, New Zealand, unites communities, agencies, and resources to promote thriving ecosystems and restore biodiversity for both nature and future generations. In response to environmental degradation, local community groups are taking steps to protect biodiversity and enhance ecosystem health through activities like removing invasive species, planting native vegetation, installing fencing, and restoring wetlands.
However, these groups often face challenges in securing the necessary funding, expertise, and resources to carry out complex restoration projects. Additionally, efforts can be fragmented, leaving well-meaning agencies and communities struggling to achieve their goals.
To address these challenges, Reconnecting Northland developed their flagship program, Te Kete Hononga (The Basket of Connections), to empower community and Indigenous groups in their efforts toward socio-ecological regeneration across the region. Supported by the Cisco Foundation, this program helps communities build capacity and autonomy in creating, implementing, and assessing their own ecological solutions.
The program offers tools and services such as monitoring, project management, leadership training, and business development. As a result, Reconnecting Northland has seen increased collaboration among community groups, agencies, and iwi (Māori tribes), greater government engagement and funding for community-led initiatives, enhanced knowledge sharing, and the development of more sustainable practices at the community level.
“You supported us as katiaki (guardians) to become resilient and self-sustaining. And you’ve done it by allowing us to lead and make decisions, said Pettania Hohaia, a Te Kete Hononga Kairaranga (Community Weaver) for the Waimamaku.
NetHope’s Climate Intersections Grant Program
The Climate Intersections Grant, a collaborative effort between NetHope, an NGO, and Cisco's Digital Breakthrough Initiative, seeks to promote digital innovations for climate resilience and adaptation. As a partner in this initiative, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) leverages digital technology to support global conservation.
WCS, in collaboration with Birdlife International and the World Wildlife Fund through the Trillion Trees initiative, focuses on global forest protection and restoration. A key element of their work is FORMAPP, an advanced monitoring tool created by WCS's Conservation Technology team for the Trillion Trees partnership. This tool, which includes a smartphone app, database, and online portal, enhances the efficiency of data management and makes essential resources more accessible. FORMAPP uses ConSoSci's toolkit to streamline the collection, storage, and reporting of reforestation data.
With the support of the Climate Intersections Grant, Trillion Trees has upgraded the technology behind FORMAPP and translated its website, training materials, video tutorials, and forms into French and Spanish. Field data remains crucial for measuring the climate and biodiversity benefits of these restoration efforts.
Through strategic collaborations and technological advancements, WCS and its partners continue to empower communities and drive meaningful conservation efforts globally. These digital solutions not only amplify their impact but also bolster resilience against climate challenges, highlighting the transformative power of initiatives like the NetHope Climate Intersections Grant Program.
Farmers for Forests
A 2023 report highlighted that India ranks second in global deforestation, having lost 668,400 hectares of forest in the past 30 years. Additionally, there has been a notable decline in large farmland trees in India over the last decade. Climate change and deforestation are deeply interconnected, with each influencing the other, leading to outcomes like wildfires, disrupted water cycles, extreme weather, and habitat changes.
In response, the Cisco India Cash Grant program collaborated with Climatesense Pvt Limited, also known as Farmers for Forests (F4F), through an accelerator program with Villgro. Farmers for Forests is a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating climate change by increasing India's natural and biodiverse forest and tree cover. By utilizing advancements in geospatial and drone technology, F4F implements and monitors agroforestry projects. They use drones, satellite data, and modified open-source AI algorithms to quantify carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and water conservation in these forests and agroforestry plantations, enabling accurate valuation of the ecosystem services provided.
The accelerator program helped F4F develop a technology-driven tree detection platform, capable of identifying tree species, count, and height. This platform facilitates digital monitoring, reporting, and verification of carbon projects for over 2,500 acres of land under ecological restoration, with more areas expected to be added as they expand.
Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara
Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) is a nonprofit organization operating in 14 provinces across Indonesia, committed to protecting nature and preserving the biodiversity of the archipelago's 17,500 islands. Indonesia's marine biodiversity is particularly notable, with fisheries playing a vital role in the culture of its coastal communities. Surveys reveal that these fisheries include over 873 species of bony fish and more than 137 species of sharks, rays, and chimeras. Unfortunately, many of these fisheries are overexploited, and others lack data on their status and life-history—some of the traded species are even new to science.
With grant support from the Cisco Foundation, YKAN is employing an innovative software application called FishFace (Fish Facial Identification Technology) to aid the government and fishing communities in assessing fish stock status and developing sustainable management solutions.
In partnership with Geeks Without Frontiers and PT Intelion, YKAN is working on a unique solution to this issue. Initial tests show that the FishFace system, powered by AI technology, exceeds the performance of trained observers, achieving 99% accuracy. This system, combined with software that captures an image of each fish as it passes through the camera's field of view, has the potential to revolutionize fisheries research and management in Indonesia by enabling real-time data collection. This will provide a clearer understanding of Indonesia’s fish stocks and support local fishery regulations to conserve nature and maintain the region's biodiversity.
We thank the organizations that have shared their insights with us. As we navigate the challenges posed by climate change, embracing innovative solutions and fostering global partnerships will be vital in protecting our ecosystems and securing a more sustainable future.
World Nature Conservation Day is an opportunity to reflect on our responsibility to protect the planet's biodiversity and support ecosystem stability. At Cisco, one of the core pillars of our environmental sustainability strategy, The Plan for Possible, is investing in resilient ecosystems. We encourage you to explore the meaningful work being done by our nonprofit partners, who demonstrate that every action matters and collaboration is key to improving our planet's health.
Reconnecting Northland, a non-governmental organization based in Northland, New Zealand, unites communities, agencies, and resources to promote thriving ecosystems and restore biodiversity for both nature and future generations. In response to environmental degradation, local community groups are taking steps to protect biodiversity and enhance ecosystem health through activities like removing invasive species, planting native vegetation, installing fencing, and restoring wetlands.
However, these groups often face challenges in securing the necessary funding, expertise, and resources to carry out complex restoration projects. Additionally, efforts can be fragmented, leaving well-meaning agencies and communities struggling to achieve their goals.
To address these challenges, Reconnecting Northland developed their flagship program, Te Kete Hononga (The Basket of Connections), to empower community and Indigenous groups in their efforts toward socio-ecological regeneration across the region. Supported by the Cisco Foundation, this program helps communities build capacity and autonomy in creating, implementing, and assessing their own ecological solutions.
The program offers tools and services such as monitoring, project management, leadership training, and business development. As a result, Reconnecting Northland has seen increased collaboration among community groups, agencies, and iwi (Māori tribes), greater government engagement and funding for community-led initiatives, enhanced knowledge sharing, and the development of more sustainable practices at the community level.
“You supported us as katiaki (guardians) to become resilient and self-sustaining. And you’ve done it by allowing us to lead and make decisions, said Pettania Hohaia, a Te Kete Hononga Kairaranga (Community Weaver) for the Waimamaku.
NetHope’s Climate Intersections Grant Program
The Climate Intersections Grant, a collaborative effort between NetHope, an NGO, and Cisco's Digital Breakthrough Initiative, seeks to promote digital innovations for climate resilience and adaptation. As a partner in this initiative, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) leverages digital technology to support global conservation.
WCS, in collaboration with Birdlife International and the World Wildlife Fund through the Trillion Trees initiative, focuses on global forest protection and restoration. A key element of their work is FORMAPP, an advanced monitoring tool created by WCS's Conservation Technology team for the Trillion Trees partnership. This tool, which includes a smartphone app, database, and online portal, enhances the efficiency of data management and makes essential resources more accessible. FORMAPP uses ConSoSci's toolkit to streamline the collection, storage, and reporting of reforestation data.
With the support of the Climate Intersections Grant, Trillion Trees has upgraded the technology behind FORMAPP and translated its website, training materials, video tutorials, and forms into French and Spanish. Field data remains crucial for measuring the climate and biodiversity benefits of these restoration efforts.
Through strategic collaborations and technological advancements, WCS and its partners continue to empower communities and drive meaningful conservation efforts globally. These digital solutions not only amplify their impact but also bolster resilience against climate challenges, highlighting the transformative power of initiatives like the NetHope Climate Intersections Grant Program.
Farmers for Forests
A 2023 report highlighted that India ranks second in global deforestation, having lost 668,400 hectares of forest in the past 30 years. Additionally, there has been a notable decline in large farmland trees in India over the last decade. Climate change and deforestation are deeply interconnected, with each influencing the other, leading to outcomes like wildfires, disrupted water cycles, extreme weather, and habitat changes.
In response, the Cisco India Cash Grant program collaborated with Climatesense Pvt Limited, also known as Farmers for Forests (F4F), through an accelerator program with Villgro. Farmers for Forests is a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating climate change by increasing India's natural and biodiverse forest and tree cover. By utilizing advancements in geospatial and drone technology, F4F implements and monitors agroforestry projects. They use drones, satellite data, and modified open-source AI algorithms to quantify carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and water conservation in these forests and agroforestry plantations, enabling accurate valuation of the ecosystem services provided.
The accelerator program helped F4F develop a technology-driven tree detection platform, capable of identifying tree species, count, and height. This platform facilitates digital monitoring, reporting, and verification of carbon projects for over 2,500 acres of land under ecological restoration, with more areas expected to be added as they expand.
Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara
Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) is a nonprofit organization operating in 14 provinces across Indonesia, committed to protecting nature and preserving the biodiversity of the archipelago's 17,500 islands. Indonesia's marine biodiversity is particularly notable, with fisheries playing a vital role in the culture of its coastal communities. Surveys reveal that these fisheries include over 873 species of bony fish and more than 137 species of sharks, rays, and chimeras. Unfortunately, many of these fisheries are overexploited, and others lack data on their status and life-history—some of the traded species are even new to science.
With grant support from the Cisco Foundation, YKAN is employing an innovative software application called FishFace (Fish Facial Identification Technology) to aid the government and fishing communities in assessing fish stock status and developing sustainable management solutions.
In partnership with Geeks Without Frontiers and PT Intelion, YKAN is working on a unique solution to this issue. Initial tests show that the FishFace system, powered by AI technology, exceeds the performance of trained observers, achieving 99% accuracy. This system, combined with software that captures an image of each fish as it passes through the camera's field of view, has the potential to revolutionize fisheries research and management in Indonesia by enabling real-time data collection. This will provide a clearer understanding of Indonesia’s fish stocks and support local fishery regulations to conserve nature and maintain the region's biodiversity.
We thank the organizations that have shared their insights with us. As we navigate the challenges posed by climate change, embracing innovative solutions and fostering global partnerships will be vital in protecting our ecosystems and securing a more sustainable future.
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