Ignitia, a company focused on tropical weather forecasting, has teamed up with its partners to address the climate crisis in Africa.
The partners are Kosmos Innovation Centre; Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation; and the International Trade Centre – Netherlands Trust Fund 5.
The initiative, dubbed ‘From Thunderstorm Predictions to Brainstorming Climate Smart Agriculture Solutions’, aims to provide accurate weather forecasts for agriculture. Using atmospheric physics-based numerical predictions, Ignitia delivers hyper-local forecasts that are twice as accurate as global models.
These forecasts are sent daily through SMS, WhatsApp, smartphone apps, web and APIs, covering various time-scales from 48-hour rainfall predictions to monthly and seasonal outlooks.
The regional director for Ignitia Africa, Kwabena Frimpong, disclosed this during the 2023 Climate Tech Hackathon in Accra – where over 200 applications were received and selected participants presented innovative solutions for climate change and market concerns.
“It is an opportunity for developers, innovator communities and young innovators across the continent to demonstrate the power of partnerships and build innovative digital solutions ready for quick implementation, and can give immediate results to build Africa’s climate change resilience,” he said.
The hackathon focused on seven emerging technologies, including crop and water management, flood prevention, decentralised funding for agriculture and mobile applications for weather-based micro-insurance.
The winning team, Agriguard, received a US$2,000 grand prize for their Flood Management System – providing real-time weather and climate data for informed agricultural decisions. Other winning ideas included a blockchain-based crowd investment platform and real-time advisory services for farmers.
Nashiru Salifu from the Ministry of Environment emphasised the importance of such initiatives in addressing climate change and fostering economic activities. “It is worth mentioning that while we innovate around climate change, we are also designing new economic activities; and it is in the interest of all of us to become active participants in climate innovation and not just passive recipients of climate technology,” he said.
The jury praised participants for their diverse solutions and highlighted the alignment with Ignitia’s focus on climate risk, weather-based insurance, advisory services and extreme weather alerts.
Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, Executive Director-Kosmos Innovation Centre, emphasised the potential of African youth in driving digital technologies for climate change adaptation. “The innovative ideas presented here today provide ample evidence of this potential, and it’s time to support the youth by incubating and upscaling their solutions to turn their potential into actual climate change adaptation actions,” he urged.
Partnerships & Project Officer Annabel Sefakor Agbanu expressed confidence in youth as the solution to global crises. “I believe that the hackathon’s design is a true expression of tech and science diplomacy, with solutions co-created by youths from different countries on the continent addressing local, regional challenges with global relevance toward climate change,” she said.
National Project Coordinator in Ghana for the International Trade Centre-Netherlands Trust Fund 5, Isaac Newton Acquah, applauded Ignitia Ghana for its hands-on engagement in allowing young innovators to be more creative and explore solutions that leverage digital technologies for offering alternative solutions to climate resilience through cross-border understanding of climate change challenges.
Acknowledging the participants’ inclusive thinking, Strategic Partnerships Manager-Ignitia, Theresa Fehle, praised the diversity brought by students from across Africa.
Participants expressed gratitude to Ignitia Ghana and its partners for organising the 2023 Climate Tech Hackathon, with many aspiring to formalise their ideas for the benefit of smallholder farmers and sustainable development.
