Technology a game changer in Africa’s conservation push

They have come up with games that leverage technology to engage a huge demographic in conservation and biodiversity care, meeting them where they are in the games they play across different platforms.

These games include Terra Nil, Beyond Blue, ustwo games, TreesPlease Games, PlanetPlay and E-Line Media & Gibbon: Beyond the Trees.

“The key focus is on narrative, so that the stories of Africa are increasingly told by and from the perspective of Africa’s people,” Noel Kok said.

He and Pragna Parsotam-Kok co-founded Nature Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers. In partnership with the National Geographic Society, they have a collaboration called Africa Refocused.

Gautam Shah, a former National Geographic Explorer Fellow and now founder and executive director of Internet of Elephants, has lived in Nanyuki, Kenya, for more than 14 years.

He says the primary goal of Internet of Elephants is to share wildlife and conservation stories with the world through video games and other digital interactive approaches.

“The mission is around how do we engage the next generation of people? How do we activate and engage them, while meeting them where they are?” Shah asked. His company is geared towards planetary goals and wildlife biodiversity. They zeroed in on video games as that is where people are, figuring they should leverage the medium more for the benefit of the planet.

“So, the Internet of Elephants utilises technology to promote conservation and biodiversity,” he said. The old-school top-down solutions to conservation are not so successful, he said.

Meanwhile, saving the planet is an urgent matter, hence exploring all avenues to reach more people is crucial, and the younger generation is key to addressing conservation and biodiversity issues.

“From generation to generation, games are a constant thing. So games, both online and physical ones, can be an interesting way to learn, raise awareness and offer solutions,” Shah said. Embracing new channels and mediums widens the tent to include more demographics in the fight toward conservation and biodiversity issues.

“Incorporating technology and gaming into conservation efforts is an entirely untapped market and, in my perspective, that is why we got so involved and kind of invested everything into that idea,” he said.

TRADITIONAL DATA

Parsotam-Kok said Africa Refocused is changing the storyteller, as who gets to tell the African story needs to be African.

With Shah’s skill and advancements in game development, they aim to bring a fresh perspective to conservation and the protection of our planet. “We support the funding of films through grants to enable filmmakers to produce films they can share with global audiences and local audiences, while supporting untapped avenues,” she said. Shah said data is an essential component in creating games, and the Internet for Elephants heavily leverages datasets such as GPS tracking, caller data, bioacoustic data, camera trap data and data from webcams.

Additionally, data is collected from people being out in the field and making observations. Kok said observational data is one of the things they are particularly passionate about, which is one of those data types that are often overlooked or not given the priority they require, namely, traditional knowledge data.

These traditions have been held for centuries by ancestors and passed down orally all across Africa. “In the upcoming training lab for African storytellers, we are excited and want to try to drive every opportunity possible during this lab training to incorporate indigenous knowledge systems and data from that,” Kok said.

“It just makes it so much more connected to us as Africans.”

NAVIGATING REGULATION

In addressing the topic of policies and regulations, Shah said, it’s important to acknowledge that policies and regulations can vary widely from one country to another.

“Data ownership can belong to universities, government entities, or even individual PhD students, which adds to this complexity,” he said.

“However, there is a commendable movement underway to work toward greater standardisation in these areas.”

There is a vast movement in Africa to make data open and available to everyone.

As of now, however, the endeavour by Shah, Kok and Parsotam-Kok operates within the parameters of the available data’s laws and policies for individual, organisational, research, country and regional levels.

“We also utilise collaboration with individual researchers, organisations, governments or even multinational entities,” Shah said.

“The collaboration is part of the excitement. Collaboration is part of what gives that particular organisation or owner the benefits of the data beyond what they’re doing for scientific purposes.” These collaborations benefit the community, which includes anyone who participates in the labs or receives funding for their projects.

“We call them fellows, and we have a network of more than 350 fellows from 32 countries in Africa, and that number is definitely growing.” “To create games that are conservation and biodiversity conscious, we don’t need to reinvent any new technologies.

“We utilise what’s publicly available, where we can build skill sets among developers and take advantage of existing expertise.” They capitalise on development platforms, such as Unity and Unreal, as well as mobile platforms like Google Play and the App Store, not to mention consoles like Xbox and PlayStation, and PC, with Steam. The cost to access these technologies, which are used for gaming, could be around three to five dollars (Sh387 to Sh646) a month.

It’s pegged on the number of users one is trying to reach, which can be significantly higher, depending on the developers of the games. Internet of Elephants has a game called ‘Wilderverse’, which was developed in collaboration with an organisation in DR Congo and a partnership with an organisation in Borneo.

The game utilises publicly available augmented reality technology provided by Google at the time, Google AR, and uses Unity as a development platform. It is available on iOS and Android mobile devices. Parsotam-Kok hailed the expertise that Shah and his partner Jake bring when it comes to gaming. “We also have game developers who have applied but not been selected yet, but they also bring their own experience with these existing platforms,” she said.

“The goal is to explore how to enhance these platforms when everyone is gathered in the same room.”

INTERACTIVE GAMES

Statistics clearly indicate a significant issue with access to electricity and internet connectivity in remote areas.

But Kok believes this should not deter them from emphasising the importance of conservation and raising awareness about it using the available technology to reach a wide audience.

He highlighted a common concern: some people argue that if a film is not broadcast on national television, individuals in rural areas may struggle to access it. While this concern is valid, there are alternatives.

Communities can organise roadshows to bring people together and showcase the film.

“We should not let these challenges stop us from creating new platforms and opportunities to engage audiences in conservation efforts,” Kok said. Shah, Kok and Parsotam-Kok aim to provide an open space where participants feel encouraged to take risks.

The programme will span six days, creating an environment that promotes innovative and unconventional ideas.

They will engage in exercises designed to spark creative thinking, such as exploring ways to make conservation fun and engaging, potentially through formats like party games or dance activities.

They invite participants to approach the topic from a pirate’s point of view. The goal is to shift one’s mindset and develop unique solutions within a safe and supportive atmosphere. Passionate storytellers and technology experts come together to explore how to convey messages about environmental conservation and biodiversity through games, including video games and virtual reality.

“Our programme strives for a balance between learning and practical application,” Kok said.

“While 25 per cent of the day may involve lectures to teach new concepts, the remaining 75 per cent will be hands-on.”

Additionally, participants will actively engage in creating these games and solutions, rather than just passively listening to discussions, with the hope of making the planet better for future generations.