In this session, we explore the importance of human-centered design (HCD) and research practices in developing digital solutions for Africa’s agricultural challenges.  By concentrating on agriculture—a sector vital to African economies and global food security—we highlight the necessity of designing solutions that are deeply aware of the local cultural, economic, and infrastructural contexts.

Our exploration will cover the comprehensive processes, methods, and tools essential for developing effective and widely adopted digital innovations. Through real-life examples, we’ll share the challenges faced and lessons learned, providing attendees with a deep dive into the practical aspects of creating impactful solutions.

Our aim is to showcase how these tailored solutions can meet immediate needs while fostering long-term sustainability and reducing environmental impacts.

To have any hope of mitigating the consequences of irreversible climate change, we need to bring our economy back into balance with the ecology of the planet. Endless economic growth is neither possible, nor desirable, and therefore, we must abandon less necessary and harmful industries, while lowering inequality and improving social well-being.

These are the key messages of degrowth.

Very few companies would be able to pick up the topic of degrowth and find its core premises easy to contribute to – or even aspire to contribute to. In this talk, we will cover the basics of degrowth, and dive into what we at 1508 have learned as a digital design agency embarking on a journey towards a post-growth and well-being economy.

Mathias Larsen is the Business Development Director at the Copenhagen-based digital design agency 1508. As an economist and former management consultant, Mathias is well-versed in the ways of the current economic system. Picking up degrowth has therefore required a lot of unlearning and retraining, and he is eager to share what he has learned.

Videha is the Clinical Innovation Lead for the Pankhurst Institute for Health Technology Research and Innovation at the University of Manchester. He has a PhD in Health Informatics and completed fellowships in Digital Health, Medical Leadership and Clinical Entrepreneurship. A surgeon by training, he now has a portfolio career spanning clinical medicine and health technology. He leads a range of projects across healthcare providers, academia and industry, aimed at impacting patient care by translating new and emerging innovations into clinical practice.

He is also the co-founder of Fava Health; an early-stage start-up providing digital services that help put pharmacogenetics into practice – unlocking the potential of personalized medicine at scale.