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Albert Oppong-Ansah Accra, Oct. 30, GNA – Crafted Climate, a Ghanaian start-up, is participating in the 5th AirLab Microsensor Challenge, joining 32 global manufacturers in advancing affordable air quality monitoring. The Accra-based company is the only Ghanaian entrant and one of two African participants, alongside a firm from Kenya. Its sensors are being evaluated exclusively in Ghana. Dr Adrian Arfire, a sensor systems and robotics engineer at Airparif’s Meteorology and Innovation Department, confirmed the participation during a visit to Afri-SET, the host of the Accra site. “Yes, we have one participant from Ghana, Crafted Climate. They are quite new. Their sensors are being evaluated only in Ghana, not in India or France,” he told the Ghana News Agency. Airparif, the organisers of the Challenge, is a Paris-based organisation established in 1979 and mandated by the French Ministry of Environment to monitor air quality across the Île-de-France region, including the Paris metropolitan area. Dr Arfire said the challenge, now in its fifth edition, independently assesses low-cost air quality sensors to provide governments, researchers, and the public with reliable performance data. This year’s edition attracted 32 manufacturers, submitting around 50 sensor solutions for testing across three sites: Paris, Bengaluru, and Accra. The Ghana deployment, running from mid-September to mid-January, involves testing sensors against reference monitors to evaluate data quality, usability, environmental impact, and cost. Results would be announced at a final event, with top performers recognised. Dr Allison Felix Hughes, Facility Manager of Afri-SET and Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Ghana, said Crafted Climate’s participation highlights the potential of Ghanaian innovators in a competitive global field. “It is significant to have a Ghanaian start-up in this global competition. It allows them to test their product in real conditions, see how it performs during the Harmattan, and gain visibility with manufacturers and funders,” he said. Dr. Hughes emphasised that Ghana and the region would benefit from increased access to sensors and collaboration with global experts like Airparif. “For us, this is an opportunity to learn, improve our technical skills, and raise awareness about air pollution. For the manufacturers, including Crafted Climate, it provides valuable data to improve their algorithms and bring their products closer to the accuracy of reference monitors,” he explained. Air pollution in Ghana is characterised by high levels of particulate matter from traffic, industrial operations, and domestic fuel use. Crafted Climate’s participation in the global challenge supports efforts to improve environmental data for informed decision-making. Edited by Kenneth Sackey 30 Oct. 2025
