Ouagadougou: The Mathematics and Computer Science Laboratory at Joseph Ki-Zerbo University presented flood forecasting software in the city of Ouagadougou this Thursday. A demonstration of how the tool works was given during the session. It is now possible to anticipate flood risks in the Burkinabe capital thanks to software specially developed to deal with this scourge.
According to Burkina Information Agency, this innovation is the result of the Mathematics and Computer Science Laboratory (LAMI), a joint research unit at Joseph Ki-Zerbo University, bringing together experts in mathematics and computer science. The presentation took place this Thursday afternoon, in the presence of members of the laboratory.
Tanguy Kabor©, a doctoral student at Norbert Zongo University in Koudougou and responsible for the restitution, explained that the software is a flood prediction tool in the city of Ouagadougou, designed using an approach combining local expertise, environmental data, and advanced predictive analysis technologies. "It's an application that fits with local realities. Specific data-meteorological, hydrological, and geological-from the city of Ouagadougou were collected to create a tool adapted to our context," he explained.
Kabor© further elaborated that the technology is based on machine learning, utilizing meteorological, hydrological, and geographic data to train a model that is then used to make forecasts. "It's a decision-making tool, because issues related to natural disasters are difficult to manage. This is why it should be made available to decision-makers once the situation has fully stabilized," said Professor Stanislas Ouaro, a member of the laboratory.
The software took about five months to develop and boasts an accuracy rate estimated at 91%. According to the researchers, these forecasts could be extended to all cities in the country, provided the necessary data is available. The tool is valued at around 43 million CFA francs, including 3 million devoted to maintenance.
The Mathematics and Computer Science Laboratory also plays a crucial role in the training of master's students, both in research and academic terms, and contributes to promoting national expertise in Burkina Faso and internationally.