Tokyo, Japan, August 20, 2025 - (JCN Newswire) — NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) today announced a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to strengthen collaborative development assistance in Africa, coinciding with the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9). This will contribute to the aims of both parties to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through innovative and efficient technology-enabled assistance, particularly in the areas of agriculture and global health/nutrition.
WFP Executive Director, Cindy McCain (left) and
NEC Corporate Senior Executive Vice President and CGAO, Shigehiro Tanaka (right)
WFP, established in 1961, is a humanitarian aid agency of the United Nations whose mission is to eradicate world hunger by providing emergency food aid and development assistance in response to natural disasters and conflicts. Its activities are financed by contributions from national governments and donations from private organizations and individuals, and in 2024 it delivered food to approximately 124 million people.
In recent years, the number of those in need of assistance has been increasing due to issues that include international conflicts, disasters, and pandemics, which pose serious challenges to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). WFP is working globally to create a world without hunger, and in order to achieve this goal with limited resources, it is essential to capitalize on technology that enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of assistance.
WFP and NEC have launched initiatives for the monitoring of farmland in Ethiopia and Zambia, using the agricultural ICT platform "CropScope" (*1), and also collaborated to improve maternal and child nutrition in Ghana through the use of a digital health checkup mobile application (*2).
Now, through the conclusion of this MOC, the organizations will contribute to building a more resilient and inclusive society by strengthening their collaboration mainly in the fields of agriculture and global health/nutrition, enhancing the functionality of CropScope and the digital health checkup mobile application, and utilizing various technologies to ensure sustainable development and to achieve the SDGs in Africa.
Moreover, NEC will participate in the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) (*3) at Pacifico Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan, from August 20 (Wed.) to 22 (Fri.), 2025. During the event, NEC will hold seminars and exhibitions on agriculture and global health at the "TICAD Business Expo and Conference" and at the Japan Fair (*4).
"We are pleased to strengthen our collaboration with WFP toward ensuring sustainable development in Africa. We are confident that, through this MOC, we can further create social value by co-creating with WFP and leveraging our expertise in technology."
- Takayuki Morita, President and Chief Executive Officer, NEC
(*1)Smart farming management | NEC
(*2)Ajinomoto, Sysmex, and NEC improve maternal and child health and nutrition in Ghana: Press Releases | NEC
(*3)The 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9)
https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/africa/ticad/ticad9/index.html
(*4)NEC to participate in "TICAD Business Expo and Conference" and thematic events for TICAD 9
https://www.nec.com/en/press/202508/global_20250805_03.html
About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.