Drowning in data, dying from bad decisions -BigData Ghana CEO charges Africa to act
When the Department of Geomatic Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology marked its 50th anniversary on Friday, it brought together alumni, partners, and the next generation of engineers to reflect on a journey that began with two students and a mandate to map Ghana. The speaker it invited did not come […]
In his keynote address, Baffoe emphasized that Ghana, like the rest of Africa, is grappling with a data problem and a decision problem. The continent possesses an abundance of data, ranging from satellite imagery to climate records, agricultural surveys, and mobile network information. However, the challenge lies in converting this data into actionable decisions that yield positive outcomes.
He highlighted the need for institutional will and technical infrastructure to harness the potential of the data available. The timing was particularly apt, as recent floods in Accra had displaced families and disrupted commercial activities, yet the necessary spatial risk data had been accessible for years. Baffoe is leading the development of a system to address this gap.
As an AWS Certified Partner, BigData Ghana was selected as one of ten African organizations for the EU-AU Space Partnership Programme, demonstrating the company's commitment to leveraging geospatial data for practical solutions. The company has already implemented three notable projects. The Ghana Agricultural Information and Monitoring System utilizes satellite imagery and vegetation data to provide banks and investors with insights into farming activities, enabling data-driven lending decisions.
The National Forest Monitoring System tracks changes in Ghana's forest landscape in near real-time, with a corresponding AI platform, ForestTrace AI, which predicts deforestation hotspots and monitors illegal activities. These systems aim to enable early interventions, preventing environmental degradation and supporting sustainable development.
Baffoe stressed the importance of turning the focus from merely building sophisticated systems to creating systems that produce measurable, positive outcomes. He urged students to acquire technical skills while emphasizing the need to ask the right questions: what decision must be improved? By aligning technological innovation with decision-making, Africa can unlock the true potential of its data and drive sustainable change.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
