How do you explain a complex food system in 90 seconds?
Climate change is exacerbating poverty and hunger in Southern Africa. The FoSTA-Health research project aimed to make food systems in the region more sustainable and resilient in the face of climate change. To this end, the project explored three possible pathways for the future of food systems in Southern Africa up to 2050. Using research data, the team modelled three scenarios, each revealing different opportunities and trade-offs. For example, increasing exports may boost agricultural incomes, but can also affect nutrition, water use and ecosystems.
CARE Austria was one of the project partners and commissioned me to produce an animated explainer video that would communicate the key findings clearly to political decision-makers. The challenge was the sheer volume of data behind the three pathways. The research examined numerous indicators that influence one another. The task was to turn this complexity into a clear visual story for a 90-second video.
Many complex interconnections – one simple map
To bring the three pathways to life, I created an illustrated map of Southern Africa. It features several aspects of the food system investigated by the project, including agriculture, exports, income, water, ecosystems, animals and nutrition. As the animation progresses, these elements change depending on the scenario. This makes it possible to see how the system could evolve in different ways, and how improvements in one area can come at a cost elsewhere.
Together with the client, I selected the most important indicators to highlight the key interconnections. Rather than presenting a multitude of individual data points, the animation shows how the different parts of the system are connected.
The visual design follows the FoSTA-Health project’s corporate identity. The regional context was also reflected in the voice-over: CARE Austria chose a female African voice artist whose voice and accent reinforce the project’s geographical context.
Credits
Client: CARE Austria
Project: FoSTA-Health
Concept, Design & Animation: Katharina Petsche
