Transforming Agrifood Systems through Virtual Reality: The Ukama Ustawi Journey

The CGIAR Research Initiative on Diversification in Each and Southern Africa (Ukama Ustawi), led by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), focuses on sustainably intensifying and diversifying maize-mixed food systems. To achieve this, Ukama Ustawi (UU) looks for practical solutions to contextual challenges faced by farmers, researchers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

CGIAR researchers often venture into remote, rural, and hard-to-reach locations to carry out their work in gathering critical data, such as insights on water and land management practices. However, there is a global call to reduce the carbon footprint of travel to reduce its negative impact on climate change. Additionally, the inaccessibility of project sites and the difficulty of sharing local experiences more effectively with a broader stakeholder audience, including partners, and potential donors, poses a growing challenge.

UU's solution? An innovative, interactive, Virtual Reality (VR)-enabled Virtual Field Trips (VFTs)-pioneered by IWMI-which can be accessed by anyone, anytime, anywhere.

"The Virtual Field Trips using VR have great potential to facilitate data collection as well as monitoring and evaluation. It can serve as an innovative research tool, not only for us at IWMI, but to those beyond." - Dr. Fulco Ludwig, Director of Water Data Science, IWMI

How it all began

In 2023, IWMI's spearheaded the production of VFTs for UU, to enhance learning and enable stakeholders to engage with food producers and explore smallholder farms. The first VFT was launched in Malawi in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in November 2023, followed by the second VFT in Kenya in November 2023, with the Alliance for Bioversity-CIAT.

What began as Microsoft Teams multi-camera meetings allowing smallholder farmers and stakeholders to engage directly with local researchers evolved into a sophisticated VR exploration providing a multiverse of project sites that users can interact with, long after a field trip or farmer field day has been conducted.

These VFTs are rich in multimedia content, including 360-degree videos of interviews with farmers and experts, panoramic images of agricultural landscapes and informative text boxes. Users can also access research publications, enjoy multi-language support, and experience virtual environments through their mobile devices, desktops, or VR headsets for a more immersive experience. The goal is to make localized experiences as inclusive and accessible as possible, allowing anyone to explore IWMI's work from the comfort of their screens.

Developing a VFT from scratch

After conceptualization and story development, the creation of a typical VFT begins with recording content from real-world locations. This footage is then meticulously edited and enriched with additional materials tailored to the project's needs. Users can navigate a central platform where all VFTs are hosted, starting their journey from a virtual globe of Africa and drilling down to country-specific VFTs they wish to explore. The design prioritizes user agency, allowing individuals to engage with the content (e.g., interviews, site visits, and reading materials) at their own pace and according to their interests.

VFTs are primarily aimed at showcasing work to stakeholders, partners, and investors. Each VFT is developed in close collaboration with researchers, scientists, and a professional VR consultant, ensuring a high-quality and informative experience. Moreover, ongoing internal research into the application of VR in the water and agricultural sector helps IWMI stay ahead of technological advancements, best practices, potential expanded uses such as capacity building and decision-making impacts of VR on investors.

Virtual Field Trip in Limpopo, South AfricaVirtual Field Trip in Makonde, Zimbabwe

To date, four VFTs utilizing VR have been produced. A VFT on the Limpopo River Basin (LRB) was developed to showcase the Olifants River, in collaboration with the CGIAR Research Initiative on Digital Innovation as part of a research and prototyping effort under the Digital Twin project, which provides an advanced virtual representation of the LRB. Another VFT documented the installation of a drip irrigation system in the Makonde region in Zimbabwe-an area plagued by sporadic and low rainfall and significant water scarcity. A third VFT highlighted the entire production value chain from farm to factory to supermarket for agribusiness food manufacturer, Nyota Limited. This VFT is specifically targeted at impact investors to facilitate scaling operations, particularly for those who are unable to travel to sites for validation and due diligence processes when considering investment opportunities. Lastly, a VFT with the CGIAR Research initiative on Fragility, Conflict and Migration (FCM) was produced to illustrate the impact of internally displaced persons (IDPs) on host communities in the fragile and conflict-affected setting of Tigray, Ethiopia. The VFT presents transect walks conducted during a citizen science mapping exercise, complemented by testimonies from the affected community members.

Virtual Field Trip in Kikuyu, KenyaVirtual Field Trip in Tigray, Ethiopia

When first unveiled, VFTs received significant positive feedback at the ICTforAg conference in Nairobi, Kenya, where attendees were impressed by the technology and its potential applications. The VFTs were also presented at Stockholm World Water Week this August. Looking ahead, IWMI plans to present their VFT projects at CGIAR Science Week in early 2025.

VFTs stand out as a unique platform for the research community to leverage emerging technologies to foster collaboration to address practical challenges in water, land and food systems, thereby advancing the common agenda of transforming Africa's food systems for better climate resilience and food security.

Click to start your journey: IWMI Virtual Field Trips

Immerse yourself in the virtual world and share your feedback through this short survey.

Featured image: IWMI Virtual Field Trip (VFT) Portal screenshot

Authors:

• Nkateko Nicole Langa, Research Officer - Future Creative Technologies for Agricultural Innovation, IWMI
• Nora Hanke-Louw, Deputy Country Representative for South Africa and Project Coordinator at IWMI, and Coordinator for the Ukama Ustawi Initiative
• Inga Jacobs-Mata, Director of Water, Growth, and Inclusion, IWMI and Ukama Ustawi Initiative Lead

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