Yvonne Ndelle is a Postdoctoral Fellow with Open AIR, researching digital and data-driven agriculture. Yvonne holds a Master of Public Administration and a PhD in Public Policy from Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS), University of Saskatchewan. Her doctoral research assessed the social license model as a private self-governance regime in Canada’s agri-food sector and provides unique insights into its varied conceptualizations by diverse stakeholders across the agbiotech supply chain. Yvonne also holds a BSc honours degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea, Cameroon.

Yvonne has several years of research experience in mobilizing and translating knowledge for broader use. She was Research Coordinator for the Students’ Innovation and Business Analysts (SIBA) program at the former Innovation Enterprise (University of Saskatchewan’s Technology Transfer Office) and was an Executive Intern with the Saskatchewan Institute, Conference Board of Canada. In Cameroon, Yvonne worked with Agroproduce Management Services (AMS) Ltd, where she managed a network of over 3000 smallholder cocoa farmers across 42 rural communities. These farmers were involved in third party quality certification, along with the use of sustainability and traceability tools for socially and environmentally responsible cocoa production using the UTZ Certified standard. She has won a number of awards and enjoys listening to country music.

QES-AS Research

Abstract: The advent of Artificial intelligence (AI) presents numerous opportunities and challenges for many sectors in Africa, with varying impacts on all aspects of life. Within the continent’s economic sector, AI has the potential to advance socio-economic growth with significant value creation and impact on productivity, market-power and innovation. Nevertheless, there are substantial challenges, risks and limitations to the use of AI in economic policymaking in Africa. Yvonne’s research with the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) in Accra, Ghana, offers a contribution to this emerging field through a comprehensive review of the AI scholarship relative to economic policy actions and decisions in Africa. The primary goal is to synthesize the literature on the topic and provide an understanding of the existing debates, research and opinions on this area of inquiry, while building up knowledge in the field. Overall, this research will serve as a good starting point for normative discussions to help prepare African policymakers for future use of AI to resolve challenges around economic policymaking in the continent.