# Episode 164: AI, Innovation, and Humanitarian Logistics: Inside the World Food Programme’s Supply Chain with Bernhard Kowatsch

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-future-of-supply-chain-5986965/episode-164-ai-innovation-and-humanitarian-logistics-inside-the-world-food-programme-s-supply-chain-with-bernhard-kowatsch
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-future-of-supply-chain-5986965/episode-164-ai-innovation-and-humanitarian-logistics-inside-the-world-food-programme-s-supply-chain-with-bernhard-kowatsch.md
Podcast: [The Future of Supply Chain](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-future-of-supply-chain-5986965)
Published: 2026-06-10T04:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/future-of-supply-chain/episodes/Episode-164-AI--Innovation--and-Humanitarian-Logistics-Inside-the-World-Food-Programmes-Supply-Chain-with-Bernhard-Kowatsch-e3kilmt
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/10cb2bb84/podcast/play/121246877/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-5-9%2F73f1b2c4-c2e0-b889-d71b-7140334ae66e.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1610

## Resource

In this episode we sit down with Bernhard Kowatsch, Director of Global Accelerator and Ventures at the UN World Food Programme (WFP), to talk about humanitarian logistics and how digital tools and AI are transforming decision-making. Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ episode transcript ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ===== In this episode we sit down with Bernhard Kowatsch, Director of Global Accelerator and Ventures at the UN World Food Programme (WFP), to talk about humanitarian logistics and how digital tools and AI are transforming decision-making. Bernhard explains that acute hunger has risen from 85 million pre-COVID to over 318 million due to conflicts, extreme weather, and economic shocks, increasing supply chain complexity across 120 countries using thousands of trucks, ships, and aircraft. The WFP uses AI for real-time and forecasted food security, and its Scout optimization tool to balance cost and speed across procurement, warehousing, and routing, saving $6M in 18 months and targeting $25M annually. He describes responsible AI, human oversight, prioritization by vulnerability, last-mile constraints, and WFP’s Munich Innovation Accelerator model and partnership needs. ===== Guest: Bernhard Kowatsch Bernhard Kowatsch is the Director Global Accelerator and Ventures at the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP). Since he created the Global Accelerator in 2015, it has become one of the Worlds biggest impact startup accelerators, offering 18 annual programmes. Prior to starting the Accelerator, Bernhard co-founded the award-winning ShareTheMeal app that crowdsources funding for WFP and has delivered over 300 million meals for hungry children worldwide. His previous experience includes creating WFP’s Business Innovation Unit and working as a Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group…

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## Transcript

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