NEW YORK, NY (September 24, 2025) – Alabaster International, an international NGO dedicated to locally led solutions in East Africa’s conflict and famine-affected communities, and Deep Impact AI, a leader in artificial intelligence for climate resilience, today announced their EnsetAI Carbon Agroforestry Initiative as a new Commitment to Action at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting.
The project combines indigenous agricultural knowledge with advanced AI technology to scale the cultivation of Enset—a perennial, drought-tolerant, and nutrient-rich staple crop indigenous to Ethiopia, across 500,000 hectares. The initiative aims to benefit up to 3 million households, sequester 17.5 tCO₂ per hectare per year, and unlock women farmers’ access to global carbon markets. Key stakeholders include: Nature for Justice, Arba Minch University, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture, and Planette AI.
A Climate-Smart and Gender Inclusive Solution for Africa’s Drylands
EnsetAI, co-developed with female Enset farmers in Ethiopia, delivers AI-powered, localized farming guidance, disease diagnostics, climate risk alerts, and carbon tracking via a mobile platform. It integrates long-range weather data and satellite imagery to help farmers adapt to climate change, optimize yields, and verify carbon credits.
“Enset has the potential to be a game-changer for Africa’s food security in the face of climate change,” said Shannon Fernando, Founder & CEO of Alabaster International. “By combining indigenous agricultural wisdom with cutting-edge AI, we can equip female smallholders to withstand climate shocks and feed their families, while restoring ecosystems.”
“EnsetAI is about giving farmers the tools to adapt to a changing climate and turn that adaptation into opportunity,” said Himalesh Kumar, Founder of Deep Impact AI. “By merging science, data, and grassroots action, we are creating scalable solutions for climate resilience that are farmer-first.”
A Track Record of Innovation
The EnsetAI Carbon Agroforestry Initiative builds on Alabaster International’s 2024 Commitment to Action and its landmark achievements, including the first-ever transfer of live Enset plant material outside Ethiopia, enabling cross-border research and regional collaborations, and the establishment of the first Enset field trials in Kenya with a 98% success rate.
About Alabaster International
Alabaster International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working in Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan to deliver locally led, women-centered solutions in healthcare, food security, and education, particularly in communities impacted by conflict and poverty.
About Deep Impact AI
Deep Impact AI develops AI-driven solutions for agriculture, climate resilience, and healthcare, bridging the gap between advanced technology and underserved communities.
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Founded by President Bill Clinton in 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative is a community of doers representing a broad cross-section of society and dedicated to the idea that we can accomplish more together than we can apart. Through CGI’s unique model, more than 10,000 organizations have launched more than 4,000 Commitments to Action — new, specific, and measurable projects and programs – that are making a difference in the lives of more than 500 million people in 180 countries.