Planting knowledge: Bootcamp for AI solutions rooted in Côte d’Ivoire
From boosting agriculture with artificial intelligence (AI) to building trust in data governance, Côte d’Ivoire’s Data and AI Bootcamp brought together innovators, policymakers, and tech experts. Four days of co-creation showed how local talent can turn data into solutions for sustainable growth.
From 1–4 July 2025, Abidjan became a vibrant hub for innovation when more than 35 participants—from data scientists and entrepreneurs to policymakers and tech professionals—came together for the Data and AI Bootcamp. Its mission was clear: to unlock the potential of data and AI to drive sustainable development and local innovation.
Organised by GIZ, ESTDEV and the French development cooperation agency, Expertise France, on behalf of the Team Europe Initiative Data Governance in Africa in partnership with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), the event combined technical expertise with strategic insights, focusing in particular on agriculture—one of Côte d’Ivoire’s most vital sectors.
Learning and co-creation in action
The bootcamp offered a blend of lessons, panels, technical workshops and interactive case studies, designed to build both practical skills and a strategic understanding of data and AI’s transformative potential. Participants explored topics such as data governance, data spaces, and satellite data, equipping them with the tools to tackle complex challenges such as resource allocation or implications of climate change through project pitches such as Agristock, RicePredict, carbonPay.
A key highlight was the interactive group session where multidisciplinary teams developed solutions for the usage of AI in agriculture in Côte d’Ivoire.
This bootcamp really has a focus on the use of the data we have in ministries and in other structures finally to solve very specific problems in agriculture. All this will help our ecosystem of startups and innovators to provide much more practical and relevant solutions for our farmers.
Sokhna Sarr, Tony Blair Institute, Côte d’Ivoire
Building trust through governance and collaboration
Beyond technical learning, the event emphasised data governance and value creation as foundations for building trust in data and AI systems. Collaborative sessions explored how public-private partnerships and accessible data spaces could accelerate Côte d’Ivoire’s digital transformation while ensuring transparency and inclusivity.
The four days in Abidjan were just the beginning. Follow-up trainings are already planned to keep the momentum built during the bootcamp going and support local innovators turn ideas into lasting impact.
Impressions of the Data and AI Bootcamp in Côte d’Ivoire
