In a bold step toward reimagining agricultural education for a new generation, Dutoit has partnered with Tangible Africa to launch Juicy Gems – an innovative mobile game designed to spark curiosity and learning through interactive coding challenges and real-world agricultural knowledge.
Juicy Gems is more than just a game – it’s a vibrant educational tool developed to engage young minds by teaching coding and agricultural literacy in a fun and 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.
“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. “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.”
At the heart of Juicy Gems is a collaboration with Tangible Africa – a celebrated 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, Tangible Africa has created a game that is both engaging and educational – particularly for under-resourced communities.
“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. Simply look out for specially marked bags of Dutoit apples at major retailers nationwide – scan the QR code on-pack to play the game, right from your mobile device. This makes learning fun and accessible from home, the classroom, or on the go.
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. These events aim to promote nationwide participation and inspire a deeper appreciation for the role of agriculture and tech in shaping a better future.
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 more schools in the coming months. The long-term vision? To equip learners with future-fit digital skills, foster curiosity in agriculture, and unlock career pathways in food production, sustainability, and technology.
Juicy Gems is a shining example of how purpose-led collaboration between agriculture and tech can drive real-world impact – from the classroom to the farm of the future.
