Ugandan students get US State Dept award for climate change innovation

Agro Universe, a mobile and web-based application from Ugandan students, has been chosen for a $3,000 (Shs11 million) third-place Apps4Africa: Climate Challenge prize by the US Department of State.

In a statement, the State Department hailed the innovation, highlighting its potential impact on the regional market in Africa. “This innovation creates a regional marketplace, helping communities prepare for pest- and drought-induced food shortages by linking these communities to farmers with available produce,” the State Department said.

The first-place prize of $15,000 goes to “The Grainy Bunch”, an application developed in Tanzania that gives access to a supply chain management system, which monitors the purchase, distribution and consumption of grain throughout the nation.

For climate change
While in second place is Kenyan Students at Strathmore University for developing an online calculator that helps farmers maximise crop production. The Mkulima Calculator, available for download onto mobile phones and other devices, provides climate and weather data for a given location within the country.

The Ugandan-designed Apps4Africa also rewards climate-challenge applications developed in southern and western and central Africa.

The US Department of State wrote on its website that this competition demonstrates that the United States is working with partners to bring together practitioners, policy-makers, and African technology innovators through programmes such as the global Adaptation Partnership and Apps4Africa in order to highlight country-driven solutions to climate change adaptation in East Africa.

flanyero@ug.nationmedia.com