Grow Green Africa
Welcome to

Grow Green Africa

A capacity building initiative for Climate Change Resilience using Smart Green Technologies. It is a visionary initiative aimed at bolstering climate resilience across the African continent.

About Project
The Consortium

Our Partners

A consortium made up of: Rhodes University, University of Turku, Copperbelt University, University of Eswatini, Namibia University of Science and Technology, and National University of Science & Technology.

Scholarship Distribution
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Intra-Africa Academic Mobility

The Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme is the EU's programme to encourage international learning mobility across the African continent. It supports learning and staff opportunities and exchanges with the ultimate goal of promoting and bolstering climate resilience across the African continent.

Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme
EUR 1,720,170.00
EU Commission Funding
35+
Masters Students
10+
PhD Students
15+
Staff Members
4 years
Partnership Duration
Six (6)
Partner Universities
NUST Zimbabwe
NUST Zimbabwe Meeting

0
Consortium Partners
About Grow Green AfricaIntra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme About Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme

This project is part of the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme Initiative funded by the European Commission. This Grow Green Africa project aims to enhance competencies in green computing technologies for students and trainees in the Southern African region. Specifically, it seeks to equip 10 PhD students, 35 Master of Science students, and 8 trainees. Additionally, this project facilitates knowledge exchange by supporting the mobility of 15 staff members from five participating African institutions: National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Zimbabwe, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Namibia, Copperbelt University (CBU) in Zambia, Rhodes University (RU) in South Africa, and University of Eswatini (UNESWA) in Eswatini. The project’s technical lead is provided by the University of Turku (UTU), a European Union partner from Finland.

  • Scholarship opportunities are available.
  • Improve skills and competences of individuals.
  • Help combat climate change and build resilience .
About This Project
Intra-Africa Mobility Program Study and Thematic AreasIntra-Africa Mobility Program

Our Thematic and Study Areas

These are the specific fields of study that students can pursue under this Intra-Africa Mobility Program. This project envisions a net-zero world where Africa thrives economically, ecologically, and socially. By harnessing smart green technologies, the initiative aims to catalyze growth, empower communities, and contribute to global climate action.

Green Mining

Implementation of eco-friendly practices and technologies in the mining industry to reduce its environmental impact.

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Early Weather Detection

Help promote green African sustainability by developing and implementing smart green technologies.

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Green Agriculture

The practice of implementing eco-friendly practices and technologies in the agricultural industry.

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Renewable Energy

Leverage technology to improve the quality, impact, and reach of development programs by using digital solutions.

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Who Are The Members Intra-Africa Mobility Consortium PartnersWho Are The Members

Gr2A Intra-Africa Mobility Consortium Partners

This is a consortium of five universities working in collaboration on a project. It is a partnership with five universities namely NUST Zimbabwe, NUST Namibia, CBU Zambia, UNESWA, and Rhodes University. The collaboration includes offering scholarships in green computing studies. Programs offered are Masters, PhD, and staff mobility. The technical lead is provided by a European Union partner from Finland, the University of Turku (UTU).

NUST
Zimbabwe
National University of Science and Technology
Rhodes
University
RU
(South Africa)
Copperbelt
University
Copperbelt University (Zambia)
NUST
Namibia
Namibia University of Science and Technology
University of
Eswatini
University of Eswatini (Swaziland )
What’s HappeningWhat’s HappeningWhat’s Happening

Latest News & Articles

News

Gr2A Partners meet in Swakopmund, Namibia for a Paper Writing Workshop

In an attempt to achieve the set target of 35 or more publications within the Grow Green Africa (Gr2A) Consortium, the following participants: Vuyelwa Ruwodo, University of Turku (UTU), Ronald Karon and Prof Nikodemus Angula, Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST-NAM), Sibusisiwe  Dube, National University of Science and Technology (NUST-ZIM), and George Mufungulwa, Copperbelt university (CBU), met for a workshop in Swakopmund from the 2nd to the 6th of June 2025.

The Paper Writing Workshop.

The workshop was organized to train the trainers in research paper writing. Trainees emerging from the workshop were tasked to go into their institutions and share with both staff and students in the Consortium, writing skills acquired from the workshop.

Several topics relating to each institution’s area of focus were identified. The following were among the identified areas: Climate change in irrigation; Climate change resilience in livestock management; Agricultural Advisory Services on Climate Adaptation; Precision Farming and Water conservation and Curriculum Harmonization. The Swakopmund workshop not only provided an opportunity for participants to engage in paper writing activities but also to bond on a more personal level.

With the workshop held in their lodgings, participants had an opportunity to interact informally over the dining table or in the kitchen. Strong bonds were therefore forged among the workshop participants which spanned beyond academia to focus on personal interests.

The workshop therefore, further paved way for future collaboration in various areas of interest since the Intra-Africa Mobility Scheme is not limited to academic collaboration. In the words of one of the participants, Prof S. Dube, “Apart from spearheading academic collaboration, this workshop has also encouraged us to learn our neighbor’s culture at the same time the weakening the divisive effects of borders hence strengthening familiarity between neighbors.”

Above: From L- R: Mr Vuyelwa Ruwodo, University of Turku (UTU), Prof Nikodemus Angula and Mr Ronald Karon, Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST-NAM), Prof. Sibusisiwe Dube, National University of Science and Technology (NUST-ZIM), squatting, Dr George Mufungulwa, Copperbelt university (CBU).

News

Erkki Sutinen Presents the 1st Gr2A Conference Paper at FIE 2024

In a ground-breaking achievement for the Grow Green Africa (Gr2A) Project, Erkki Sutinen, the coordinator of the Gr2A Chapter at the University of Turku, Finland, made history by presenting the first conference paper of the Grow Green Africa Project at the Frontiers in Education (FIE) 2024 Conference held in Washington, D.C., USA, from the 13th to the 16th of October 2024. With a theme “Embracing the Challenges and Transforming Engineering and Computing Education in a Technology-Enhanced World” the conference brought in presenters from across the globe. The conference, a leading international platform for electrical engineering and computing, showcased innovative advancements in the field.

The Gr2A presentation, titled “Integrating Green Computing Competencies Into Southern African Curricula” was a paper written by Vuyelwa David Ruwodo (University of Turku, Finland); Lannie Uwu-khaeb (University of Turku, Finland); George Mufungulwa (The Copperbelt University, Zambia); Nikodemus Angula (Namibia University of Science and Technology, Namibia); Sibonile Moyo (National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe); and Erkki Sutinen (University of Turku, Finland),” The paper discusses the development of a curriculum designed for use by the five African universities involved in a European Union funded project. The curriculum is designed to equip Computing postgraduate students with knowledge. skills, and competencies necessary for the mitigation of climate change from a computing perspective.

Presenting at FIE2024 is a significant milestone for the Gr2A project as it disseminates the output of the project at a global scale. Further it validates the hard work and dedication of the project team. As a project we feel honored to contribute to the global discourse on Green Computing, and the Computing field in general. The presentation was well-received by the international audience, generating significant interest and discussion. The paper is expected to have a profound impact on Computing practices.

News

Gr2A partners meet Masifundise Community Family Care and Development Centre representatives to forge partnerships

On Wednesday the 23rd of July 2024, consortium members from the Rhodes University Chapter of the Grow Green Africa (Gr2A) project and representatives of the Masifundise Community Family Care and Development Centre (MCFCDC), a non-profit organization that is based in Makhanda, met to forge a partnership with the purpose of working together in the renewable energy space.

While the Gr2A is a consortium of researchers from various universities based in the SADC region that are conducting research on technologies to support climate change mitigation through green computing, the MCFCDC is involved in various projects for the development of township and rural communities in the Makana Municipality. The Gr2A consortium consists of researchers from the Copperbelt University in Zambia, Rhodes University in South Africa, the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, Namibia University of Science and Technology in Namibia, and the University of Eswatini in Eswatini, each with specialization in a particular area of green computing. The University of Turku in Finland is the European Union (EU) technical partner of the project.

What brought the Rhodes Chapter of the Gr2A consortium and the MCFCDC, is that both are interested in community development and both are working in the renewable energy space. The Makana Energy landscape is an initiative of the MCFCDC, to redraw the energy supply landscape in Makana through the introduction of renewable energy. The Rhodes University Chapter of the Gr2A falls under the auspices of the ICT4D (Information and Communication Technology for Development) research group whose mandate is to harness computing technologies to develop both rural and township communities and bring about socio-economic change to such. This Gr2A chapter of the project will be supporting both local and postgraduate students in community-based service learning, meaning that the students will be offering their research and computing skills in renewable energy to developing Makana communities, while they will in turn gain practical industrial experience. The MCFCDC will be the link between the Gr2A consortium to their broad base of industrial partners from the Makana municipality in renewable energy.

As the partnership meeting drew to a close, the participants emerged with a newfound appreciation of the need for university, industry and community partnerships that can result in community development.  Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Lungile Mxube, the Executive Chairman of the MCFCDC said, “I look forward to the outcome of this partnership for the betterment of our communities”. Adding to the call for university-community partnerships, Professor Philip Machanick, the Director of MCFCDC, Emeritus Associate Professor at Rhodes University and a community activist said, “Community development has always been at the top of Rhodes University’s agenda and like in all previous projects, I am looking forward to this partnership enhancing the livelihoods of the local communities”.

From L-R: Prof Philip Machanick, Dr. Zelalem Shibeshi, Mr. Lungile Mxube, Prof. Nomusa Dlodlo, Mr Tyron Ncube, Dr. Gugu Baduza