ATPS Network

May 2026, the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) conducted on-ground assessments of the AI4AFS+ project under the Artificial Intelligence for Development (AI4D) program across four African locations, evaluating AI tools designed with communities, for impact:

📍 Kisii, Kenya | 11–12 May

Assessing a groundbreaking integrated solution: a solar-powered AI cold room paired with a multilingual digital marketplace and an AI food quality scanner, all aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening food safety through context-aware, multilingual AI.

📍 Machakos, Kenya | 15 May

Field-testing a geospatial AI early-warning system for real-time monitoring of Tomato Leaf Miner (Tuta absoluta) outbreaks, empowering smallholder farmers with timely, location-specific pest management insights.

📍 Nsukka, Nigeria | 18 May

Evaluating AI4NYP+, a transformative initiative enhancing resilience in Nsukka Yellow Pepper cultivation. Building on earlier pilots, the project now deploys a production-ready AI system for multi-disease detection via real-time image analysis, co-designed with rural women farmers (who constitute the majority of NYP growers) and grounded in GEDI principles (Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion).

📍 Ghana | 25 May

In Ghana, we assessed an inclusive AI pest-detection app, featuring Twi voice commands, offline/open-source access, and co-creation with women farmers and persons with disabilities, as a tangible step toward responsible, gender-inclusive AI that transforms African food systems.

Hear the stories behind the science

Tune into the AI4AFS+ podcast series for firsthand insights from researchers, farmers, and innovators:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHhVJzapw0Q2wFHIXbjyrmbOsiYHD2e2E

IDRC / CRDI ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Kumasi Hive

The African Deep Dive Podcast The African Deep Dive Podcast is brought to you by the African Technology Policy Studies Network. This podcast explores how science, technology, and innovati...

Exciting News!
One of our African Deep Dive Podcast special episodes is now live on the AI4D Africa media page!
This feature is a proud milestone for ATPS and the AI4AFS+ project because it:
1. Centres African voices in the global AI conversation
2. Highlights how responsible AI is transforming food systems across the continent
3. Shares the real impact of our grantees' innovative work
Through thoughtful conversations and visual storytelling, we're helping the world discover Africa's leadership in ethical, impactful AI.
Thank you to:
• Our amazing ATPS project team
and partners at ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology and Kumasi Hive
• To the IDRC / CRDI for your continued support
• Our inspiring grantees- for your work drives this story
Tap the link in bio or visit:
https://www.ai4d.ai/media
YouTube: https://lnkd.in/dDm-gwh7
Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dQUgGeQA
https://www.ai4d.ai/media

Artificial Intelligence for Development Artificial Intelligence for Development (AI4D) is a programme that aims to foster safe, inclusive and responsible AI ecosystems that empower people and accelerate progress on challenges in international development.

The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) is officially inviting contributions for the 30th Issue of the ATPS Technopolicy Newsletter. We’re seeking insightful, evidence-based articles that explore the critical intersection of technology, policy, and sustainable development.
Submission Guidelines:
🔹 Opinion pieces: 500–800 words Research articles: Up to 1,200 words
🔹 Must be original & not under consideration elsewhere
🔹 Signed consent form required
🔹 All submissions undergo editorial review
Deadline: 5 June 2026
How to submit: Email your manuscript (Word or PDF) to [email protected] and copy [email protected]
Ready to amplify your research and shape policy conversations across Africa? See the attached poster for full details and submit your work today!

The AI4AFS+ team has successfully completed the on-ground assessment of the project: “Application of multilingual AI technology for improving food safety, supply chain monitoring, and reducing post-harvest losses in Kenya.”
Engaging directly with Kisii University management and local farmers reinforced a core ATPS principle: research for impact. By intentionally centering the voices of marginalized communities: women, smallholder farmers, and persons with disabilities, in AI design, deployment, and scaling, we’re ensuring technology truly serves African lives. It was deeply moving to hear farmers share their gratitude to Kisii University for an innovation that’s already transforming their livelihoods.
The ATPS is proud to champion responsible, gender-equitable AI across the continent. A special thank you to IDRC / CRDI and Dowie for their guidance and support.
Stay tuned as we share key insights and next steps from this evaluation

On the ground in Kisii, Kenya! We’re officially launching our in-depth evaluation visits for the AI4AFS+ project, and our first stop is Kisii University. 🇰🇪

Supported by , AI4AFS+ champions responsible, gender-equitable, and socially inclusive AI for Africa’s food systems. This week, our team is conducting a rigorous “beyond MEL” site visit to assess Dr Mwau Cynthia Mwau's groundbreaking innovation: a solar-powered AI cold room integrated with a multilingual digital marketplace and an AI food quality scanner.

Built with marginalised communities at its core, this tool tackles post-harvest losses while prioritising accessibility.

The core focus of these visits is to evaluate the effectiveness of the AI tools developed in line with responsible and gender-inclusive AI that impacts African Lives.

Follow along as we share on-the-ground insights, stakeholder feedback, and key takeaways from the Kisii evaluation. 👇

How could AI-powered cold storage & inclusive marketplaces transform food access in your community?


IDRC / CRDI ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology

What happens when farmers lose their harvests because they don’t have access to the right information at the right time?
In this powerful story, Mrs Christiana Ataa shares how crop disease nearly wiped out her harvest, and why timely agricultural support and innovation matter for smallholder farmers across Africa.
Her experience is a reminder that behind every harvest is a family, a livelihood, and a dream worth protecting.
Watch, share, and join the conversation on how technology and knowledge can transform agriculture for farmers and communities.
Read the full article here: https://atpsnet.org/harvesting-confidence-bridging-the-digital-divide-with-inclusive-agricultural-ai/
Listen to the mind-blowing podcast episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrOfBnznSJQ&list=PLHhVJzapw0Q2wFHIXbjyrmbOsiYHD2e2E&index=2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFTBSnQwDPM&list=PLHhVJzapw0Q23ppkeS4jSve4IeNzqIyoP
Email [email protected] to explore partnerships in our AI Innovations.

IDRC / CRDI ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology

Why AI Must Speak our Native Languages - Christiana Ataa's Story Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

This week, we spotlight a powerful story of innovation, inclusion, and impact from Enugu State, Nigeria. 🇳🇬
We feature Professor Chinenye Anyadike, one of the ATPS grantees under the AI4AFS+ Project under the Artificial Intelligence for Development (AI4D) programme, funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), whose team, alongside APWEN NATIONAL HQ developed an inclusive AI agriculture app designed by and for African smallholder farmers.
🌱 The app delivers:
✅ Real-time pest & disease diagnosis in local languages
✅ Weather intelligence & water management guidance
✅ E-extension support to bridge the agronomic knowledge gap
But one of the true measures of success? Chioma, a woman farmer from Enugu State, who transformed from beneficiary to "Super Farmer" champion. Today, she actively trains peers, including persons with disabilities, on using the tool to boost yields, reduce losses, and claims agency in the digital agriculture revolution.
🔗 Listen now to hear how responsible, gender-inclusive AI is reshaping food systems from the ground up:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrOfBnznSJQ&list=PLHhVJzapw0Q2wFHIXbjyrmbOsiYHD2e2E&index=2
👉 https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ykhhG8MpfWzMj1OWQv21Q

IDRC / CRDI ATPS Network ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology

From Soil to Scale: AI Empowering the Nigerian Farmer The African Deep Dive Podcast · Episode

We are thrilled to announce that the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) has officially kicked off the second phase of our capacity-building workshop in Podor, Northern Senegal! 🇸🇳
This moment marks a significant milestone in our journey across West Africa. Since the inception of the STEP-CHANGE SCALE project, we have traversed the length and breadth of the region, from co-needs identification and validation to co-designing training modules and delivering them in both Nigeria and Senegal. It has been a humbling experience understanding the unique needs of our farmers, researchers, and extension agents.
Our goal is to build equitable and inclusive resilience among marginalised communities. By leveraging innovative climate finance, sustainable indigenous technologies, and effective knowledge brokering, we are driving locally led climate adaptation for smallholder farmers.
We are honoured to be joined by featured speakers, including Prof Amadou Ndiaye, Ndeye Coumba Diop, Aboubacry Diallo, and Prof Abdou Khadre Dieng.
Together with our partners, IPAR think tank, and funders IDRC / CRDI and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Canada, we are shaping a climate-resilient future.

What if the difference between a successful harvest and total loss was simply… language?
In this powerful piece, the African Technology Policy Studies Network explores how inclusive, locally designed AI is transforming agriculture across Africa, giving farmers access to timely, understandable, and life-changing information.
Through the AI4AFS+ initiative, innovation is no longer just about technology; it’s about access, dignity, and empowerment, especially for women and smallholder farmers often left behind. These solutions are proving that when AI is built with communities in mind, it can unlock productivity, strengthen food systems, and close long-standing gaps.
🔗 Read the full article here: https://atpsnet.org/harvesting-confidence-bridging-the-digital-divide-with-inclusive-agricultural-ai/
This is what the future of African agriculture looks like: inclusive, responsible, and locally driven.

IDRC / CRDI ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology

Harvesting Confidence: Bridging the Digital Divide with Inclusive Agricultural AI - African Technology Policy Studies Network Harvesting Confidence: Bridging the Digital Divide with InclusiveAgricultural AI Ataa Christiana, a cashew farmer from Brodi, Ghana, in her farm Imagine standing in your cashew grove at dawn. The harmattan dust is settling gently on the leaves, and for the first time in years, you feel a sense of pe...

We’re excited to kick off our AI4AFS+ Podcast Series, where, over the next few months, we’ll spotlight groundbreaking, locally led AI innovations transforming agriculture across Africa.
In this episode, we feature Patrick Mensah from Ghana, one of our AI4AFS+ grantees, whose powerful innovation is changing the game for farmers. His AI-driven tool enables farmers to detect and diagnose crop diseases in Twi, their local language, making critical agricultural knowledge more accessible, timely, and impactful.
🔗 Listen to the episode here:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5w7PHiKzM7crfFLTYIoa3s?si=tv9KRkU6SIqPSNwplQgM1Q
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrOfBnznSJQ
This is what inclusive, African-led AI looks like: practical, relevant, and built for the communities it serves.
Stay tuned for more inspiring stories in the series.

IDRC / CRDI ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology

ATPS Network Harvesting Confidence: Speaking the Farmer's Language through AI