Spindle Design

The challenge

Partner: HivosA HCD approach: How might we strengthen farmer-managed seed systems in Kenya which are critical to improving food security, fostering agricultural biodiversity, and resilience in food productionsystems.

Summary

With over 80% of seeds sourced from farmer-managed seed systems in Kenya, this intervention is critical to smallholder farmers and the nation. In addition, it challenges seed science privatization and commodification that are detrimental to the goals of both food security and open societies.
We used a human-centred design approach to ● uncover the key user groups & personas that are currently involved in seed systems;● their information usage patterns, including their informationaccess and usage habits, access to connectivity and technology, and constraints.● understand user groups’ information needs on agricultural topics, including soil conditions, and seed varieties, among others

Our approach

We used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to understand the lives of small holder farmers and their seed exchange behavior

1-1 Contextual interviews
Interviewing, observing and carefully documenting attitudes and behaviors of farmers in the context in which the product will be used.
Community group meetings
Meeting farmer groups as they were having their group meetings. We observed how farmers organise themselves into cooperatives and learned the obstacles the groups aims to overcome.
Key stakeholder interviews
We had interviews with players involved in the seed value chain. They have deep and expert knowledge on seed production, preservation, and distribution of seeds in the country.

Topic areas

Agriculture, Digital

Project type

HCD Research

The result

Spindle Design has prepared a study of a digital seed exchange platform. A multidisciplinary team investigated the project context via a user-centred design and research methodology. The new learnings and insights from the study have been documented to advise Hivos as they move to the next phase of designing and developing a digital seed exchange for farmer-saved seeds. We thank Seed Savers Network of Kenya (SSN) for contributing to this study.

PharmAccess - AfyaCredit

How might we offer a health credit product to lower-income Kenyans that supports them in financially dealing with health shocks and positively impacts their health and livelihoods?

See the work

PharmAccess - MomCare

This assignment aims to support PharmAccess in researching, designing and prototyping a financial solution that enables pregnant women to access quality health care. To learn how MomCare will increase informal pregnant women's financial participation in accessing quality healthcare, resulting in better maternal and child outcomes.

See the work

Access Afya: FSD Utamu

Access Afya was founded on the belief that innovation can flow from the ground up. They opened their first clinic in Mukuru slum in 2012 and have operated almost exclusively in informal settlements and hired a third of their team (staff) from these settlements.

See the work

Kenyan Microwork Ecosystem

Mercy Corps, Appen, and Celo have formed a partnership to solve youth unemployment and underemployment in Kenya by providing vulnerable youth an opportunity to engage in microwork. The microwork shall be provided by Appen, done on a mobile application provided by Valora, and paid by a unique cryptocurrency that can be converted to Kenya shillings using the Celo app.

See the work

Meerkat

There are four different pillars to the products offered by Meerkat, with each having a separate point of contact and interaction for the client/ user. This provides a cluttered, unfragmented user experience through the overall product offering..

See the work