To address development challenges in Africa, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is launching a global initiative to help solve social issues using Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI). JICA is partnering with NineSigma on this call to action for Open Innovation solutions and ideas related to health care, agriculture, communication, and other urgent and dire needs across many countries in Africa.

NineSigma is supporting this global competition through its OI networking capabilities. This project will target private companies, government partners, organizations, and academic institutions.

Current projects can be viewed in detail on the NineSights page:

“Technology to Facilitate Remote Communication for Smooth Implementation of Technical Guidance (Ghana/Zambia)”
Working with Japanese universities and research institutes, JICA has supported efforts to establish medical research systems and provide technical guidance in Ghana and other countries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, options for site visits and personal guidance efforts are limited. JICA is seeking ways to facilitate effective communications via innovative remote and virtual technical solutions.

“Technologies that Support Rice Farmers’ Decision Making on Rice Production, such as Weather Prediction”
Since 2016, JICA has been working on a project in Senegal to increase the yield of upland rice. Concerning irrigated rice production, which is addressed in the project, many farmers keep irrigation pumps in continuous operation, increasing product costs and resulting in a waste of water resources. Accurate predictions of the timing of rainy season and the amount of rainfall, if realized, will enable rainwater to be utilized to solve these challenges

” Technologies and Solutions for Effective Use of Tablets for Rice Farming (Senegal)”

The government of Senegal is promoting the use of electronic tablets to support rice farming and improve rice yields.  Currently, the devices are being used only as a replacement for taking notes on paper. This program seeks innovative ideas and solutions to better utilize the features of the electronic table to improve rice farming and yield.

Proposals submitted for these projects will be evaluated by JICA. Selected partners will be considered for demonstration of proposed approach and success of implementation.

JICA is a Japanese governmental agency that assists economic and social growth in developing countries and promotes international cooperation.

For more information visit the JICA Innovation Gallery https://www.ninesigma.com/s/jica-gallery-en