AfriClimate AI has launched Forecast4Africa, an AI-powered initiative aimed at tackling Africa’s critical gaps in climate data and localised weather forecasting. Funded by Google.org, the project seeks to improve planning for farmers and communities heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture.
“Climate change is making rainfall patterns more unpredictable, and without accurate forecasts, planning becomes a risky guess. Forecast4Africa aims to change that,” said Rendani Mbuvha, co-founder of AfriClimate AI.
Using AI to Bridge the Climate Data Gap
The project will deploy automatic weather stations and collect high-quality local climate data to build AI-powered forecasting models tailored to African conditions. These insights aim to guide real-world decisions in farming, energy, and disaster risk management.
Forecast4Africa will also host collaborative workshops to ensure the forecasts are practical and relevant for policymakers, farmers, and businesses.
Targeting Rural Communities First
The project’s first pilot will launch in South Africa, with weather stations installed in rural Limpopo, the Eastern Cape’s coastal zones, and flood-prone regions of KwaZulu-Natal. Expansion across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is planned.
Additionally, AfriClimate AI will release an open-source toolkit to help local developers improve forecasting in their own regions.
Building Africa-Led Climate Innovation
Mbuvha emphasized that African expertise and data will remain central to model development. The project will run from August 2025 to December 2027, inviting developers, researchers, and climate-focused organizations to join.
“By combining world-class AI with local data and infrastructure, we can safeguard lives and livelihoods across the continent,” Mbuvha said.
For more information, visit africlimate.ai.
