Updated on May 24, 2024

·

Created on October 5, 2020

Afriscout

AfriScout mobile app provides pastoralists with information on pasture and water using satellite data and mobile technology.

Tested By
  • Project Concern International
Content Partners
Unknown

Author

Product Description

AfriScout is a mobile app that provides information on pasture and water to pastoralist communities for their animals. The platform uses satellite data to detect the presence of surface water and vegetation conditions, which is then relayed to pastoralists using the mobile app.

The app has localized grazing maps for different locations and keeps historical data from the past 12 months and which is useful in tracking the seasonal trends.

The information provided enables the pastoralists to make accurate migration decisions that reduce conflicts and allow for better pasture management. Peer to peer alerts also helps to notify people of conflicts, the presence of predators, and animal disease.

Target SDGs

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

SDG 1: No Poverty

Market Suggested Retail Price

$30.00

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

Project Concern International

Manufacturing/Building Method

N/A

Intellectural Property Type

Trademark

User Provision Model

Users can download the app from the Play Store.

Distributions to Date Status

As of 2020, more than 6,000 users registered to app.

Mobile service required

Mobile Internet

Devices required

Smartphone

Additional features required

None

Permanent network connectivity required

No

Two way communication (Y/N)

Yes

Level of coverage needed

2G, 3G

Usage rate (%)

Unknown

Literacy support

No

List of languages available

  • English
  • Kiswahili
  • Qafarafa
  • Oromiffaa
  • Amharic

Operating system and version

Android

Power Requirements

None

mAgriculture Application

Weather information

Design Specifications

Afriscout is a mobile app that monitors the availability of pasture and surface water using satellite data and relays it to pastoral communities to enable them to make accurate migration decisions. The technology uses community defined, custom grazing maps overlaid with satellite vegetation data that is continuously updated and accessed via mobile phone. The app has localized maps for 29 regions that cover over 239,000 km2 of grazing lands in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. The maps are created putting in mind the grazing fields for different communities and one can zoom in to 10 m2. The app is optimized to allow cheaper and faster downloads of maps even in areas with unstable 2G networks. Using the maps, one can see where pastures are located and calculate the migration distance required in order to access vegetation and water. It also provides different terrain views and historical data on vegetation. The app also integrates peer to peer alerts where users can share useful information such as on conflicts, predators, and disease outbreaks.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Provided by the developers.

Replacement Components

N/A

Lifecycle

N/A

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

The designers aim to help pastoral communities time and decide on the destination of migration, improving pasture conservation and management and improving collective, informed decision-making regarding migration.

Vetted Performance Status

Testing performed by the developers and external organization showed that 80%-97% of users made significantly different migration decisions based on the app. 98-100% of users found the maps to be accurate or very accurate, and 77-100%of users found the maps helpful. 17-42% of users believe the maps have reduced conflict with host communities.

Safety

No known safety hazards are related to this product.

Complementary Technical Systems

None

Academic Research and References

Machado, E., Purcell, H., Simons A., Swinehart S., 2020, The Quest for Greener Pastures: Evaluating the Livelihoods Impacts of Providing Vegetation Condition Maps to Pastoralists in Eastern Africa, Ecological Economics, Volume 175.

Tinga T.M., Murphy P.D., Sessou E.S., 2020, ICTs, Environmental Activism and Community Mobilization in Senegal, Kenya and South AfricaThe Local and the Digital in Environmental Communication, pp 129-149.

“Home.” 2021. Global Communities. August 13, 2021. https://globalcommunities.org/ 

“Afriscout.” 2022. Global Communities. November 16, 2022. https://globalcommunities.org/afriscout/ 

“Goal 8.” n.d. Sdgs.Un.Org. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal8

“Afriscout.” n.d. Google.Com. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pci_afriscout&hl=en

Compliance with regulations

Unknown

Evaluation methods

AfriScout is evaluated for accurate prediction of surface water and pastures.

Other Information

Videos of the app.

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