Design of Resilient Products for Small-scale Farming in South Africa

In a current climate of environmental, social and economic inequality it is imperative that designers contribute towards sustainable development. South Africa has a dual economy as a result of ingrained economic division which poses a challenge for designers when designing for the developing sector because they predominantly form part of the developed sector of society. The most pervasive method adopted for design interventions of a developmental nature, especially when designers are from a different context to the intended users, is User-Centred Design. This paper proposes the addition of an intentional designer influence or ‘nudge’ throughout the design process as well as in the final products use in order to address global and national agendas, and ensure more resilience in the product intervention. A case study of the design and development of single-household farming kit is used to explore the application of this approach. In the case study a vital aspect for the resilience of the kit is the system upon which it relies: the South African food chain/s. A decentralized model is encouraged through the use of the designers influence on the end users and this ultimately results in a more resilient product.