Fruit producer Dutoit has launched a new educational mobile game, Juicy Gems, aimed at sparking curiosity about agriculture and coding among young South Africans. Developed in partnership with Tangible Africa, the game blends interactive coding challenges with real-world farming knowledge to inspire interest in sustainable food production and agri-tech careers.
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Blending coding with agricultural literacy
Juicy Gems is an educational tool developed to engage young minds by teaching coding and agricultural literacy in a fun, accessible way. Using physical tokens to control a virtual tractor, players harvest fruit and vegetables while solving coding puzzles and answering questions related to sustainable farming practices.
"We believe the future of agriculture lies in inspiring the next generation — not only to understand where their food comes from, but to consider farming and agri-tech as exciting career paths," says Gysbert du Toit, commercial director – fruit packing at Dutoit.
"Our 2025 purpose, ‘Cultivating wellness, one harvest at a time', is about investing in people and progress. Juicy Gems is our way of planting the seeds of knowledge, sustainability, and innovation in young South Africans — helping to cultivate economic and social wellness in our country."
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A partnership for accessible digital education
The project is a collaboration with Tangible Africa, an initiative of Nelson Mandela University and the Leva Foundation, known for developing low-data, high-impact tools that teach coding without requiring constant internet access.
"Juicy Gems is designed to make digital education tangible,” says Ryan le Roux, project lead at Tangible Africa. “The game isn’t just about winning — it’s about learning. Through school tournaments, learners can strengthen their computational thinking and deepen their understanding of agriculture’s role in our lives."
From 30 June, Juicy Gems will be available for all South Africans to experience. Specially marked bags of Dutoit apples will be available exclusively at Checkers stores nationwide, each featuring a QR code that gives shoppers instant access to the game from their mobile device.
Mandela Day tournaments and outreach
To mark Mandela Day, Juicy Gems will host a series of interactive tournaments around South Africa, inviting learners, schools, and families to engage with the game while celebrating education, innovation, and social impact. The events aim to promote participation and foster a deeper appreciation for the role of agriculture and technology in shaping the country’s future.
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The game has already begun rolling out in classrooms through teacher workshops and pilot tournaments in partnership with the South African Teachers Union (SAOU), with plans to expand to additional schools in the coming months. The long-term aim is to equip learners with digital skills, stimulate interest in agriculture, and open career pathways in food production, sustainability, and technology.
Fostering future-fit agri-tech careers
Juicy Gems highlights how collaboration between the agriculture and tech sectors can help prepare young people for future opportunities, from the classroom to careers in farming and agri-innovation.
