A project proposing digital solutions to increase yields in the agricultural sector in Mali won the Digitalisation for Development (D4D) prize on Thursday evening.
The prize is an initiative of the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, in collaboration with the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD). Other projects were also rewarded - in two other categories.
The Malian project was given the award in the iStandOut category, which goes to the best initiative in the field of digitalisation and development. The project was led by several Malian startups that offer digital solutions and applications to improve the sale of agricultural products in key markets.
The solutions also help to increase agricultural yields.
Award for Uganda - DRC project combatting schistosomiasis
The iStartup prize for the most promising innovation was awarded to a project in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo that uses technology to combat schistosomiasis, an acute and chronic disease caused by parasitic worms.
The application presented could replace the tedious validation by experts of data collected on snails that spread the parasites.
Finally, the iChoose People’s Choice Award went to a project proposing a new fundraising protocol to reduce the time it takes to respond to emergencies in developing countries.
The D4D Award is presented every two years. The winner in the iStandOut category receives a credit line of €10,000 to be used to develop their project. The winner in the iStartUp category has the opportunity to complete an internship in a Belgian or international business incubator for €25,000.
The winner of the public prize receives €5,000.
