Documentary: The Vegetable Connection

The Vegetable Connection follows the journey of African indigenous vegetables, like the spicy amaranth and the slimy jute mallow, from farm to table in western Kenya. This 25-minute documentary tells the story of Kenyan women that use AgUnity’s blockchain-based smartphone application to buy and sell their vegetables more effectively. Award-winning filmmaker Bethany Teague tells the story of African agricultural ingenuity and innovation, guided by Virginia Tech researchers Jessica Agnew and Ralph Hall and Egerton University researcher Joseph Mwangi.

Through a human-centered design approach, Virginia Tech, Egerton University, and AgUnity worked collaboratively to adapt AgUnity technology to support food security through the sale of African indigenous vegetables (AIVs). Through a LASER PULSE research award funded by USAID, Agnew, Hall, and Mwangi researched the pain points in the AIV value chain and the opportunities for blockchain to tackle issues of trust and transparency.

Storytelling and research are a natural fit. Join us as we share our findings of female African agricultural ingenuity and blockchain’s potential to transform lives through indigenous vegetables!

How to Watch

• Blacksburg Screening Coming Soon
• Richmond International Film Festival - October 1st, 2023
• The African Film Festival, Dallas – June 1-3, 2023
  

Press Kit

Project Research

• The Impact of Blockchain Technology on Food Insecurity through African Indigenous Vegetables in Western Kenya: Final Report
• Transaction and Information Pain Points in African Indigenous Vegetable Value Chains in Western Kenya
• Embedded Research Translation Report: Exploring the Use of Blockchain Technology to Promote the Production and Consumption of African Indigenous Vegetables in Western Kenya