𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐈 𝐃𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚!

Back in the US when I first came here a few years ago, there were few or no mainstream uses such as telemedicine, online learning or AI-based tools. They are now an inelastic part of our everyday lives, and many are still not keeping up.

Advanced technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming societies all over the world and Africa is no exception. These technologies will change agriculture, health, education, trade, etc. But they are also especially difficult for rural communities and those with low literacy.
A lot of the things we use and know will be very different in a few years’ time. But for the most part, rural dwellers are neither sufficiently savvy to these changes, nor well-equipped to live in them.

𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬

𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑭𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈: Machine learning-based solutions (weather prediction software, precision agriculture technologies, pest control, and so on) are revolutionizing farming — the core of most African rural economies. AI-powered mobile apps send real-time weather data, soil condition and price of crops to farmers to maximize harvests and maximize profit.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆: New technologies like Telemedicine and AI Diagnostics made medical care more accessible in far-off places. So, for example, on phones, AI applications diagnose malaria or tuberculosis, with less infrastructure needed. This saves lives where there are not many medical facilities.

𝑰𝒏𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: AI can also teach illiterate people through a video, voice assistant, and vernacular language programs. Digital media can provide literacy, numeracy and vocational training to rural populations who have the opportunity to benefit from improved access.

𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏: Mobile banking and fintech (sometimes powered by AI) enables financial inclusion. In places without many banks, online wallets and AI-driven credit scoring make it easier than ever to save, borrow and invest safely.

𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔: Drones and AI-based models are being employed to scan rural landscapes, engineer infrastructure projects, and track implementation of roads, schools, water treatment plants, etc.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬

𝑫𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆: Poorer regions still need more basic internet, clean electricity and electronic gadgets. These are what the latest technologies need in order to reach the most disadvantaged.

𝑳𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 & 𝑻𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔: Illiterate people might require training to access even basic AI-driven tools. A reader may, for instance, be a farmer who requires support reading mobile applications or processing commands from artificial intelligence.

𝑬𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝑰𝒏𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚: Emerging technologies could make the divide between cities and the countryside bigger if they are deployed in a way that favors the cities more than the others. Wealthier, educated people will benefit more, while those in the countryside will lag.

𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑨𝒅𝒐𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑻𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒆𝒔: Traditional and aversion to new technologies can hamper adoption in rural regions. Trust and showing that AI and technology have some real value is very important.

𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑹𝒊𝒔𝒌𝒔: Artificial intelligence applied to the countryside comes with moral issues such as privacy and surveillance. Exploitation is the danger to groups who have no knowledge of digital rights.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝑫𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆: Governments and private players should invest in broadband connectivity, low-cost equipment and clean power in the countryside. satellite internet and renewable energy can be a lifeline.

𝑳𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: Creating and customizing AI tools in local languages in culture is accessible and relevant. For example, voice-based AIs can be used by illiterate humans.

𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈: Trainings must be designed around digital literacy that will enable rural people to work with technology freely. Learning centers are a great example: local centers with skilled instructors.

𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄-𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒔: Governments, tech giants, NGOs and communities need to work hand in hand to scale technologies. Subsidies and incentives can motivate companies to put in investments where people do not.

𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: African countries will need to have policies in place to safeguard rural populations from abuse and promote inclusive growth. – Transparent data management and ethical AI frameworks.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
High-end technology and AI can reshape rural Africa to open the divides in education, healthcare, agriculture and financial inclusion. But those benefits are only achieved with conscious work to avert obstacles such as illiteracy, connectivity and cultural reluctance. African countries can take technology to create opportunities for their most marginalized citizens and foster sustainable development by investing in equitable access and personalized solutions.