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Description:

This exhibition showcases the technological integration of immersive and interactive media in the water sector, with particular relevance to South Africa’s National System of Innovation (NSI). The VFTs speak directly to national science, technology, and innovation (STI) priorities aimed at addressing poverty, inequality, and unemployment. IWMI focuses on the sustainable development of land, water and food systems aligning with the NSI’s system approach. Furthermore, the VFTs are IWMI’s innovative tools that are used as research communications and archiving resources to ensure that the voices and realities of marginalised groups such as rural women and men, youth as well as indigenous communities in Southern Africa are adequately included and represented. This is also to highlight IWMI’ s commitment to Gender, Equality, and Social Inclusion in water management and agricultural practices.

Each VFT is grounded in real-world research and showcases impact across diverse areas such as:

Climate-smart agriculture and drip irrigation
Water conservation and sustainable farming practices
Integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems
Youth and women empowerment in rural entrepreneurship
Transboundary river water quality monitoring using digital tools
Migration, internal displacement, and shared water resource management

These thematic areas align with the Department of Science and Innovation’s (DSI) agenda to leverage emerging technologies for social and environmental transformation. The VFTs serve as a bridge between high-level research and grassroots realities, creating an inclusive platform for knowledge exchange, citizen engagement, and investment-readiness.