Uber said on Wednesday it had donated a customised version of its 'Uber Direct' software app to the UN's World Food Programme to help distribute food in Ukraine.
The WFP is scaling up operations in Ukraine and expects to be able to provide food and cash to 3 million people per month by June, the agency said in a joint statement with Uber.
The software will allow the WFP to coordinate a fleet of vehicles and track deliveries in real time to densely populated areas where larger vehicles might not be able to travel safely.
Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber explained, “Using our technology, WFP can now schedule, dispatch, track, and manage deliveries by a network of cars and small vans to final distribution points within a 100km radius of WFP warehouses across the country.”
The WFP is already using the app in Dnipro, with plans to expand to Chernivsti, Kyiv, Lviv and Vinnystia, it said.
'Food And Cash Assistance'
Matthew Hollingworth, WFP’s Emergency Coordinator in Ukraine said, “WFP is playing a critical role in providing food and cash assistance to those most affected by the war in Ukraine. This technology helps WFP facilitate its response and improves how we serve communities in Ukraine that rely on us.
“It enhances our access to Ukrainian businesses within Uber’s network, making our operations more efficient while also harnessing local capacities.”
The software is in addition to a $250,000 donation made by Uber to World Food Program USA to support the emergency response in Ukraine.
Read More: Ukraine War Taking Its Toll On Food Supply Chains, IPES Study Finds
