Tech and Africa: the Zinder context

With Apple Jia

Apple Jia is the co-founder of WAGI Kitchen, a small Taiwanese studio that develops and produces handmade jams and naturally fermented chili sauces using Taiwan's indigenous and wild fruits, aromatic herbs, and spices.

"I will share our experience with WAGI Kitchen in Taiwan, developing products from wild, native and locally adapted perennial plant resources. I will focus on the journey from plants to products, recipes and markets, and how creating real economic value can encourage biodiversity-based farming and local ecological restoration. I will also share how we are beginning to use AI as a practical collaborator in plant identification, product development, recipes, traditional knowledge, and food safety/regulatory research.

The main idea is that WPC is not only about individual plants, but about connecting biodiversity, food culture, markets and local communities."

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Their work focuses on product research and development, food processing, and market development using Taiwan's native and wild plant resources. WAGI Kitchen collaborates with small-scale farmers to create vegan products. These products have been developed through continuous testing, direct customer feedback, and years of participation in local farmers' markets.

Their product development is informed by a long-standing interest in Taiwan's native plants, biodiversity-friendly agriculture, Atayal ethnobotany, and Austronesian food cultures. They are particularly interested in how Wild Perennial Crops (WPCs), together with traditional knowledge, can be transformed into practical, high-quality products with real market value. They enjoy exchanging practical experiences about product development, small-scale manufacturing, and building sustainable businesses based on local resources.

Next episode:

Leigh Winowiecki leads global research and action on soil and land health at CIFOR-ICRAF, based in Nairobi, Kenya. Working to elevate soil health as the foundation for food security, ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience, my focus is on translating rigorous science into scalable, farmer-centered solutions, grounded in a deep understanding of the drivers of land degradation.

Nature-based solutions fuel new Resilient Landscapes initiative
https://www.forestsnews.org/68356/nature-based-solutions-fuel-new-resilient-landscapes-initiative?fnl=en

Dr. David Cuartielles, co-founder of Arduino, recently participated in a workshop titled “TinyML for Sustainable Development” in Zomba, organized by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), a category 1 UNESCO institute, and the University of Malawi. Bringing together students, educators, and professionals from Malawi and neighboring countries, as well as international experts from Brazil, Slovenia, Italy, South Africa, and Sweden, the event aimed to introduce participants to tiny machine learning (tinyML) and its applications in addressing global challenges, bringing cutting-edge technology to new frontiers.

tinyML in Malawi: Empowering local communities through technology

https://blog.arduino.cc/2025/04/16/tinyml-in-malawi-empowering-local-communities-through-technology/

Focus on:

Community Training

• Workshops for farmers, youth, and technicians on IoT use and perennial management.
• Accessible materials in English and French and local languages for inclusivity.

Governance & Ownership

• Community‑led data protocols to ensure local control.
• Partnerships with local government, NGOs, and universities.

The Zinder Project:

Community Training

• Workshops for farmers, youth, and technicians on IoT use and perennial management.
• Accessible materials in English and French and local languages for inclusivity.

Governance & Ownership

• Community‑led data protocols to ensure local control.
• Partnerships with local government, NGOs, and universities.

Sustainability & Industry Linkages

• Focus on perennial species with economic value (marula and desert date oils, fruit powders etc.).
• Connect ecological restoration to trade and livelihood opportunities.

Ecological Mapping

• Identify and catalog indigenous wild perennials (trees, shrubs, grasses).
• Define priority zones for restoration and industry potential.

IoT Infrastructure

• Rainfall sensors, soil probes, drones/satellites for vegetation monitoring.
• Data dashboards to visualize rainfall, plant survival, and ecosystem health.