EPIC Africa: working together to build supported future scenarios for 2063

The challenge: connecting science to local realities

In the Tana River Delta in Kenya, food, water and energy security are under pressure due to rapid population growth, climate change and limited infrastructure. To make future-proof choices, a broad coalition funded by the Horizon Europe Framework and led by TU Delft, VITO, TAHMO and KTH, among others, launched the EPIC Africa project.

The challenge: to develop visions for the future that are scientifically robust and locally supported. Many transition processes tend to be strongly Western and technically oriented, which means they often fail to connect with the values and realities of local communities.

Flatland was asked to strengthen the team and use visual working methods to create space for imagination, dialogue and local perspective. Central question: how do we develop a shared vision of the future for 2063 that is based on local values, knowledge and systems? In three months, we prepared a new ‘Transition Space’: an intensive collaboration session in Nairobi.

Our approach: visualization as a bridge between perspectives and models

The main challenge was to make complex system theories and data models accessible so that local policymakers, researchers, and engineers could fully participate in the process.

For the three-day meeting, we invited several partners from the agriculture, water and energy sectors – experts with a major impact on the success of the initiative. Using visual thinking, live sketching and co-creation, we brought together perspectives, data and previously collected insights into three visions of the future: focusing on basic needs, human dignity and sustainable use of resources.

During sessions in Nairobi, these worldviews were deepened and refined. This enabled us to jointly formulate the design principles and success factors needed for the next steps. The visualizations enabled participants to make their insights tangible and relatable, creating a direct bridge between imagination and the models that the researchers will then use to build on. This approach created space for inclusive decision-making that does justice to the local context.

The result: value-driven scenarios that provide direction for 2063

The interim product consists of a set of value-driven scenarios with design criteria. They are visually brought together in an overview, which is used as the basis for modeling towards the next Transition Space. These scenarios form the backbone for the future transition paths of the Tana Basin and the Volta region.

The impact is already visible: policymakers, researchers, and communities are working from a shared language and understanding. The process brought new forms of ownership, connection, and cross-sector collaboration. Participants indicated that this is a fundamentally different way of working: not only driven by data, but also by values, perspectives, and shared ambitions.