GenAI for Africa

Funded projects will enable African societies—particularly rural communities and women—to benefit from Gen AI-driven solutions in key areas, resulting in: enhanced technological capacity of local companies; improved crop yields and food security; more accessible and equitable healthcare services; efficient energy, water and waste management; resilient infrastructure and disaster recovery; personalized and multilingual digital learning; strengthened local innovation ecosystems through living labs; and reinforced territorial cohesion and cross-sector synergies. Ultimately, the call aims to catalyze a sustainable Gen AI ecosystem in Africa, fostering social and economic development aligned with European values and regulatory standards.

Proposals must address at least one of the following areas:
• Agriculture optimisation using Gen AI to analyse satellite imagery and sensor data for crop, soil and weather monitoring, predictive analytics and resource management (water, fertilizers, pesticides) to enhance yields and food security.
• Healthcare applications of Gen AI for disease diagnosis from images and patient data, outbreak forecasting, preventive planning and telemedicine via chatbots/virtual assistants, with attention to AI bias, sex-specific needs and intersecting gender/racial inequalities.
• Infrastructure and urban planning solutions leveraging Gen AI for energy optimisation (including renewables), water and waste management (groundwater, rainwater, plastic reuse), real-time incident detection and digital twins for reconstruction after disasters, underpinned by adequate connectivity infrastructure.
• Digital skills and learning platforms using Gen AI to personalise learning paths, generate multilingual content, provide virtual tutoring and adaptive teaching, with chatbots understanding local languages and nuances. All proposals must: perform an evidence-based needs analysis; map and select applicable EU Gen AI solutions; adapt and integrate models/algorithms to African settings; engage startups and local networks in 3–5 African locations; apply co-creation and living lab methodologies; and ensure territorial cohesion.