The brief

Produce an engaging report that conveys research findings to stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

The clients

Western Cape’s Department of Agriculture and the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB)

The context

The way we produce our food has never been more important. We need to make food systems more effective, resilient and inclusive.

The surge in digital technologies – called the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) – is changing the game in agriculture, making systems more productive, profitable and sustainable. The challenge is to ensure that this revolution works for everyone, especially small-scale farmers.

The report looks at how agriculture can be transformed if the farming sector, government and education institutions work together to harvest the benefits of the smart technologies in the 4IR. However, smart technologies can also create a digital divide, where only certain role players benefit from 4IR opportunities. Hence, the agricultural sector and government need to work together to create an enabling environment for small-scale farmers to access technology, training and finance. The report provides recommendations in this regard.

The process

We integrated content from several research reports and different authors in this document. Our design team worked closely with the researchers to help visualise their concepts and findings.  Infographics, icons and colour-coded sections help guide the reader through the document.

The result

We delivered a synthesis report that summarised the findings in an accessible format.

The report has been well-received and used in stakeholder engagements. The infographics and other visual elements have also been used in presentations.

The report received good media coverage, increasing the uptake of the research findings.

Read the full report: The future of the Western Cape agriculture in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Credits

Content and project management: Jorisna Bonthuys

Editing: Elsabe Marais

Design and illustration: Roulé le Roux