The European Union (EU)Commission and the Gallery of Code have unveiled the S-T-ARTS4AFRICA Programme, an art-driven initiative that will create opportunities for African artists to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to proffer solutions.

Oscar Ekponimo, the managing director of Gallery of Code, a research, development, and consulting agency, disclosed this during a media briefing in Abuja.

According to him, the programme, a science, technology, and arts-driven initiative, is a dedicated version of STARTS for Africa, an EU-led intervention in Nigeria, with the Gallery of Code serving as the umbrella body for the initiative.

Mr Ekponimo said, “STARTS was initiated in 2016 but now there is a dedicated version for Africa. This is the first phase and the first time this is coming up in Africa and a Nigerian has been selected from among 300 applicants.

“Jibril Baba, a visual artist, has just been awarded a grant that will support his project – a smart technology (model) that will address food storage challenges and boost food production as well as curb rising food insecurity gaps in Nigeria.

“Prior to selection, every host institution was meant to come up with crafting a challenge and we were to focus on food and water in Nigeria.
Ekponimo stated that the EU is pushing innovations with an artistic perspective because innovation is more practical and impactful when it is artistically driven.”

He added, “Out of more than 300 applications from all over Africa, Jibrin was selected and supported by the EU to implement a model yam barn that will use AI to check and monitor the change in climate conditions and also monitor the air quality around the yam, as well as monitor the product for spoilage.

According to Mr Ekponimo, this will automatically control food wastage and address food insecurity. However, he explained that the project “is still at the take-off stage” and “we have just finished the reflection stage and are going further to the actualisation stage.”

“I am happy to say that there will be a final exhibition in Nigeria. Jibrin has also been selected to exhibit at a festival that will hold in Austria from September 4 to 8,” Mr Ekponimo stated.

Femi Adeluyi, the national coordinator of the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), a new federal government initiative, said the project “is in full alignment with what President Bola Tinubu wants to achieve by investing in talent (creative industry).”

(NAN)