The ReSAKSS Data Challenge invites competitors to use data and other resources on the ReSAKSS website to develop an innovative knowledge product or project that addresses a development challenge faced by Africa. The winners of the first annual competition—announced at the Oct. 24-26 2018 ReSAKSS (Regional Strategic Analysis and Support System) Annual Conference—included a mobile app, a video created by a high school student, and a project to protect endangered plant species.

The conference, hosted by the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, focused on the theme “Boosting Growth to End Hunger: The Role of Social Protection.” The awards ceremony was chaired by Josefa L.C. Sacko, commissioner of the AUC Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (AUC-DREA), IFPRI Director General Shenggen Fan, and IFPRI Africa Director Ousmane Badiane.

The ceremony began with the launch of a video by the competition ambassadors Keyti and Xuman, two famous rappers from Senegal who have created a news program—Journal Tele Rappe—aimed at making young people aware of the problems plaguing African societies. A ReSAKSS Data Challenge special edition of the show aims to raise awareness on Africa-wide agricultural policy initiatives promoting sustainable food security and fighting hunger and poverty on the continent:

2018 ReSAKSS Data Challenge winners

Winners met with key African policy makers and visited AUC headquarters. Winning entries were chosen by an international panel of experts based on the projects’ “use of ReSAKSS data, their relevance to African development issues, their technical quality, creativity and innovation”:

• First Prize (IT Products and Services Category): Ekie Y. Jesus, an IT PhD student from Cote d’Ivoire who developed a mobile application to facilitate access to information, data, and findings of the ReSAKSS program in the context of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP).
• Second Prize (Essay Report Category): A team of students from Senegal’s Agricultural and Rural Training Institute (ISFAR)—Christine Valentine Noella Sagna, Elhadji Ibrahima Biteye, Sidoine Senghor, and Abdoulaye Sene. Using ReSAKSS data, their project proposes a new method to protect endangered plant species in the region of Bambey in Senegal.
• Third Prize (High School Project Category): Oreoluwa Olorode of Nigeria, 15, a student at the International School at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Olorode made an ingenious video addressing several issues faced by Africa, illustrated with ReSAKSS data.

The awards included $3,000 for first prize, $2,000 for second prize, and $1,000 for third prize. In addition to the three winning categories in 2018, the competition also invites entries for Visual Art. The second competition will be open from Nov. 15, 2018-May 31, 2019. For more information, click here.

Hawa Diop is an IFPRI Senior Communications Specialist based in Dakar, Senegal. A version of this post first appeared on the ReSAKSS blog.