TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 1 Digitally enhanced community-based environmental monitoring: Technologically upgrading the Enviro-Champs initiative Nicholas B. Pattinson1*, Udhav Maharaj1, Keanu Singh1, Jim Taylor2,3, Ayanda T. Lepheana1, Chris W.S. Dickens4, and P. Mark Graham1,2,3 1 GroundTruth, Hilton, South Africa, 2 University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 3 United Nations University, KZN Regional Centre of Expertise (UNU-RCE), South Africa, 4 International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Colombo, Sri Lanka. *Corresponding author: nicholas@groundtruth.co.za Citation: Pattinson, N. B.; Maharaj, U.; Singh, K.; Taylor, J.; Lepheana, A. T.; Dickens, C. W. S.; Graham, P. M. 2024. Digitally enhanced community- based environmental monitoring: technologically upgrading the Enviro- Champs initiative. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation. 16p. INFORMATION Keywords Limpopo River Basin, Citizen Science, Water Quality, Environmental management, System monitoring, Decision Support System Flagship Digital Twin Work package System Monitoring Partners GroundTruth, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), and UMngeni-uThukela Water ABSTRACT Conventional water resource governance and monitoring systems, while essential, are falling short of requirements to address urgent challenges and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Moreover, the global north and wealthy regions are typically overrepresented in science, while marginalised, disaffected and indigenous regions in developing countries, especially in the global south, remain underrepresented. Addressing these challenges requires diversified involvement that includes local community members who are disproportionately impacted by environmental and social problems. In the late 2000s, the non-profit Duzi-uMngeni Conservation Trust (DUCT) helped establish the Enviro-Champs, a community-based citizen science-driven monitoring initiative, in the Mpophomeni and Shiyabizali townships in Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN), South Africa. The initiative offers a range of impressive and important social contributions, such as communicating flood risks across the community and monitoring of wastewater effluents, but knowledge co-creation and data collection via citizen science has always been at its core. Despite gradual technological progress within the data capture and reporting framework of the initiative, there has been a need for a digitally integrated system to assist with data capture, submission, collation, visualization, reporting, and feedback. Collaborating within the CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation, we aimed to address these issues to increase the power, impact, and scalability of the Enviro-Champs initiative. Initially, we consolidated the knowledge from the community of practice that had formed around the Enviro-Champs and similar initiatives to synthesise a recruitment and training framework for the Enviro-Champs initiative. We then customised a version of the Open Data Kit (ODK) mobile data collection app, called ODK Collect, which submits data to Formshare1, a CGIAR-based cloud-hosting infrastructure. Here, we report on piloting the use of this system of ODK Collect for citizen science data collection, with Formshare for cloud-based data collation and storage, within the Mpophomeni Enviro-Champs initiative. As part of this pilot, we aimed to use an Excel macro-coded data cleaning process coupled with Microsoft Power BI2 dashboard for real-time, semi-automated data handling and visualisation. The pilot was undertaken in collaboration with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW) who are the managing authorities of the Mpophomeni Enviro-Champs initiative. This pilot showcases the process of co- developing a digitally integrated system of data collection, curation, and reporting for the Enviro-Champs initiative, as a model method to co-develop and establish a community-based, collaborative, coordinated, and technologically integrated citizen science driven monitoring program in a rural and previously disadvantaged area. 1 https://formshare.org/ 2 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/products/power-bi TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 2 INTRODUCTION There is a growing global recognition that conventional governance and monitoring systems, while essential, are falling short of the requirements across sectors to address urgent challenges and achieve essential milestones for human and environmental wellbeing such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (McKinley et al. 2017; Dörler et al. 2021). A potential asset for augmenting conventional methods is involving the public in scientific processes through citizen science (de Sherbinin et al. 2021; Fraisl et al. 2020, 2023; Fritz et al. 2019; Sauermann et al. 2020; Warner et al. 2024). The wider involvement of citizens in science can prove a potent mechanism for upscaling data collection, improving scientific literacy, upskilling, increasing awareness, and fostering better relationships between the public, authorities, and water resources (Lukyanenko et al. 2020; Taylor et al. 2022; Fraisl et al. 2020; Bonney et al. 2009; Queiruga-Dios et al. 2020; Irwin 2018). These factors have been especially well showcased in community-based environmental monitoring initiatives, where citizen science has led to hugely valuable, large datasets (Johnston et al. 2022; Poisson et al. 2020; de Sherbinin et al. 2021), such as the eBird (Sullivan et al. 2009), South African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP) (Lee et al. 2022), and iNaturalist (Nugent 2018) databases, as well as improved public environmental education and engagement regarding issues of common environmental concern (Conrad and Daoust 2008; Poisson et al. 2020). Various citizen science environmental monitoring tools and initiatives have been developed, refined, or adopted especially over the last two decades , with prominent examples including eBird (Sullivan et al. 2009), iNaturalist (Nugent 2018), BirdLasser for contributing to SABAP2 (Brooks et al. 2022), iSpot (Silvertown et al. 2015), rainfall gauges (Landman et al. 2020), and FreshWater Watch (Scott and Frost 2017). The proliferation and use of these tools in southern Africa, similar to various other citizen science initiatives worldwide, have often been largely uncoordinated, relying heavily on organic modes of awareness raising, such as word-of-mouth sharing leading to citizen uptake (Conrad and Daoust 2008; Schölvinck et al. 2022; Johnston et al. 2022). As a result, the distribution of citizen science has traditionally been biased to certain areas where people from affluent areas, with time and financial resources to spare, can conveniently engage (Jönsson et al. 2024; Blake et al. 2020; Pateman et al. 2021). This is symptomatic of the global bias in science in general, where the global north and wealthy regions are overrepresented in scientific data and citizen science participation (Amarante et al. 2022; Maas et al. 2021), while marginalised, disaffected, and indigenous regions in developing countries, especially in the global south, have much less representation (Benyei et al. 2023; Jönsson et al. 2024; Blake et al. 2020; Pateman et al. 2021). This uneven distribution is important because: i) the people who often have the most to gain from the various benefits of citizen science, such as improved service delivery, engagement with environmental education and awareness, exposure to science, and even enhanced employment prospects, are often those from rural and marginalised communities (Pateman et al. 2021; King et al. 2021), ii) many of the consequences of environmental and socio-economic degradation are amplified within local and indigenous communities that rely directly on their local natural resources for their livelihoods (Danielsen et al. 2021; Pollock and Whitelaw 2005; Domínguez and Luoma 2020), and iii) disadvantaged communities already suffer disproportionately, for instance, in terms of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and other socio-economic and environmental issues (WHO 2019; WHO and UNICEF 2021; UNICEF 2023; King et al. 2021). Given that local community members are at the front line of the impacts of environmental and social problems, it is important to involve them in building understanding and engaging with possible solutions. Many critical ecosystems are governed or safeguarded largely by indigenous peoples (Estrada et al. 2022; Fernández- Llamazares et al. 2021; Domínguez and Luoma 2020; Abas et al. 2022). According to World bank data3,4 indigenous people are estimated to protect 80 percent of the world’s remaining biodiversity. Therefore, local and indigenous people may not only have the most intimate knowledge of relevant issues, they are often the best-placed people to contribute pertinent quantitative and qualitative data and those with the strongest motive to invest in stewardship towards positive change (Danielsen et al. 2021; Tengö et al. 2021; Benyei et al. 2023; Pollock and Whitelaw 2005; Abas et al. 2022; Estrada et al. 2022; Fernández-Llamazares et al. 2021; Elias et al. 2023; Weiner et al. 2022). The notion that local and indigenous people may be less capable or likely to contribute to citizen science should also be challenged; all people have innate potential to contribute to the co-creation of knowledge given the right circumstances, tools, and opportunities (NASEM 2018; Tengö et al. 2021). Therefore, the quest to develop the most appropriate tools and methodologies, in this context, is of utmost importance. In fact, there is a strong argument to be made that striving for a diversity of participants in science is paramount, so that various perspectives, capabilities, priorities, and the strengths that come from multiple ways of knowing and questioning are integrated (Sauermann et al. 2020; Mussehl et al. 2022; Tengö, Austin et al. 2021). This also addresses the concern that citizen science can be subject to bias in where data are collected, often coming disproportionately from convenient, financially privileged areas, while disadvantaged or highly impacted areas become underrepresented (Pateman et al. 2021; Pandeya et al. 2021). As noted by Pateman et al. (2021), “People living in areas of poor environmental quality and vulnerable to 4 https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2023/08/09/ empowering-indigenous-peoples-to-protect-forests 3 https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/recognizing-indigenous- peoples-land-interests-is-critical-for-people-and-nature TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 3 environmental injustice are those most in need of information about their local environment. Their lack of participation in citizen science may mean their local areas are invisible in environmental datasets and thus not considered in prioritisation for action or funding”. A lack of data can have the knock-on effect of a lack of support from the authorities because the issues and risks from their neighbourhoods may not be known about. Engaging with diverse people from various backgrounds, and especially those living where socio- economic and environmental issues are the most prominent, which often coincide with the least convenient or desirable places for many citizens to gather data, will help to overcome sampling biases and ensure that the data collected are better representative of the reality across regions (Johnston et al. 2022). The concept of increasing involvement of citizens and local communities in science is also warranted by that fact that ‘colonialist’ or ‘top-down’ interventions for addressing socio- economic and environmental challenges have only proven so effective (King et al. 2021; Pollock and Whitelaw 2005). In some cases, top-down colonialist approaches can ignore the needs, rights, and dignity of indigenous communities, leading to outright harmful policies or management strategies (Domínguez and Luoma 2020; Fernández-Llamazares et al. 2021). Co-developing solutions with diverse stakeholders is a slow and challenging process but ultimately one that will provide significantly more robust, inclusive, long-term solutions for and by the people who need them most (Conrad and Daoust 2008; Abas et al. 2022). Doing so is vital for working towards equitable environmental justice and implementing just transitions toward a sustainable and inclusive future that protects not only nature, but the people who live among, rely on, and protect healthy natural systems (King et al. 2021; Swilling 2020; Sauermann et al. 2020; Dörler et al. 2021; Pollock and Whitelaw 2005; UNESCO 2018; Queiruga-Dios et al. 2020). Alert to many of these challenges and biases, the non-profit Duzi-uMngeni Conservation Trust (DUCT) helped establish the Mpophomeni and Shiyabizali Enviro-Champs, a community-based citizen science-driven monitoring initiative, in Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN), South Africa, in the late 2000s. The initiative was conceived and developed in response to the growing public disillusionment with the poor living conditions in the Mpophomeni and Shiyabazali townships (Taylor et al. 2013; Taylor and Taylor 2016), an eagerness within some community members to take action to address the issues, and a need to co-create and facilitate just transitions toward social and environmental health and sustainability in a previously disadvantaged area (Swilling 2020; Jasanoff 2018; Sauermann et al. 2020; Blake et al. 2020). DUCT engaged with community members and worked with them to engage in citizen science water resource monitoring protocols, aiming to develop the agency to assess the condition of the environment and gather credible data to use for advocating change. Importantly, the monitoring strategy was co-developed with the community members to ensure that they were gathering data on issues that mattered to them, giving them strong motivation to participate (Pollock and Whitelaw 2005). The initial Enviro-Champs were public-spirited volunteers, who sometimes received small stipends, and who used citizen science monitoring tools to measure and track the state of the environmental conditions within their community. Over time, the Enviro-Champs model got upscaled to other regions in South Africa (sometimes under other names, such as the Amanzi-Champs, Eco-Champs, or Witzenberg Water Savers). Broadly, the initiative evolved into a community of practice that engages local citizens (as volunteers or for small stipends) in rural and township communities to monitor environmental and community issues using citizen science. The role of the Enviro-Champs started out simply, with volunteers primarily helping with ad hoc monitoring of sewage and major freshwater leaks within the townships (Taylor and Taylor 2016; Taylor et al. 2013). The initiative has grown considerably, with the responsibilities of Enviro-Champs-styled initiatives expanding to include clearing alien invasive plants, monitoring solid waste dumping, wetland rehabilitation, and river health, fixing minor freshwater leaks, attending learning workshops and seminars, and educating community members of key environmental and WASH issues (Lepheana et al. 2021; Schachtschneider 2016; Pattinson et al. 2023). The initiative also evolved to include mechanisms for establishing and leveraging links between local issues and the authorities with the resources to address them. One of the most prominent examples of their influence as trusted and cornerstone members of the social fabric within their communities, was when the Enviro-Champs helped evacuate part of the Palmiet catchment in Durban, KZN, in advance of severe flood warnings in 2022. In response to their actions, Barbara Creecy, the Minister of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and The Environment (DFFE), made the following statement: “Ladies and gentlemen, the importance of empowering local communities to understand how natural disasters will affect them in the future will definitely save lives and resources. “Women and children living in conditions of poverty are most vulnerable to climate change. However, social networks and state-citizen partnerships can play an important role in building climate resilience within vulnerable communities. “During the floods that hit KwaZulu-Natal in April last year, the locally-based group, Enviro Champs, which had been trained and supported by the City of eThekwini and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, successfully used the FEWS [forecast early warning system] early warning system to successfully evacuate residents from their homes in the Quarry Road West Informal Settlement. “Thanks to the training, bravery and dedication of the Enviro Champs volunteers, and the timely warnings by TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 4 scientists who had established the micro disaster early warning system, not a single resident drowned as the Palmiet River washed away 450 homes in the early hours of the 12 April 2022. Sadly, the story in adjacent communities not part of this significant partnership, was very different.” Opening remarks by Minister Ms. Barbara Creecy at the Annual Garden Route Environmental Management and Climate Change Indaba 2023, 29 June 2023. These impressive and important social contributions notwithstanding, data collection via citizen science and knowledge co-creation has always been the core of the Enviro- Champs initiative. Citizen science data collection tools used by the Enviro-Champs now include the mini stream assessment scoring system (miniSASS) (Taylor et al. 2022; Graham et al. 2004), transparency or clarity tubes (Graham et al. 2024), and transparent velocity head rods (WRC 2016), among others (Graham and Taylor 2018). Throughout the history of the initiative, data capture has mostly happened via analogue means, using pen and paper. This method has been convenient, especially in the setting of a low-income, working-class settlement where access to technology and internet have traditionally been sparse. However, this technique of data capture has a range of drawbacks: the data are susceptible to human error during initial capture and during transcription into a digital database (Dillon et al. 2014); the data can be physically lost if the data collection sheets are lost or damaged (see Figure 1 in Danielsen et al. 2021); the process of capturing, transcribing, and reporting the data can be very slow, leading to delays between data capture and any management interventions (Pollock and Whitelaw 2005); and feedback to the Enviro-Champs can be severely delayed or non-existent where data sheets are simply collected without any two-way engagement. In recent years, as technology has become increasingly ubiquitous and accessible, the Enviro-Champs initiative has begun integrating some aspects of technology into their protocols. This began with the use of instant messaging mobile applications (apps) to enhance communication among the Enviro-Champs with access to mobile phones and internet connectivity, helping with knowledge sharing and problem- solving, as well as between the Enviro-Champs, managers, and local authorities (Lepheana et al. 2021). The initiative also introduced data collation and visualization via Microsoft Excel5 to aid in summarising and reporting. Despite the gradual technological progress, there has, until now, been a need for a digitally integrated system to be put in place to assist with data capture, submission, collation, visualization, reporting, and feedback. Such a system would enable real-time data capture and reporting, allowing faster turnaround on management interventions and feedback to the Enviro-Champs. This is critical, since where there is not 5 https://www.microsoft.com/en-za/microsoft-365/excel appropriate collation, analysis, and communication of citizen science data, citizen engagement can falter and the success of an entire initiative can be undermined (Pollock and Whitelaw 2005). Given that the majority (an estimated 80-90% of the adult population on earth) has access to smartphones, which have phenomenal data capture, data transfer, and communication capabilities, smartphones represent the perfect tools to use for digitally enhancing data capture and information transfer (Buytaert et al. 2014; Buytaert et al. 2016; E.A. Graham et al. 2011; Njue et al. 2019; Ouma et al. 2018; Rahim et al. 2017; Fabio et al. 2022). Once the data are captured using smartphones, manual data collation and quick, simple visualisation into a database can still be cumbersome, hindering the efficiency of an entire system. Consequently, for an initiative such as the Enviro-Champs, which relies on efficient data handling and reporting for there to be timeous and effective management interventions, there should ideally be an automated or semi-automated online database and visualisation system. Collaborating with the CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation, we aimed to address these issues to increase the power, impact, and scalability of the Enviro-Champs initiative. Our initial step was to consolidate the knowledge from the community of practice that had formed around the Enviro- Champs and similar initiatives to synthesise a recruitment and training framework for the Enviro-Champs initiative (Pattinson et al. 2023). This laid the foundation for upscaling the establishment of an Enviro-Champs-style initiative in the form of a step-by-step best practice guide. We then customised a version of ODK (ODK, 20246) (Hartung et al. 2010) mobile data collection app, called ODK Collect. The customised app captures data in purpose-built forms and submits the data to a cloud-hosted, backed-up database called Formshare7, a CGIAR-based product (see Pattinson et al. 2023). Here, we report on piloting the use of this system of ODK Collect for citizen science data collection, with Formshare for cloud-based data collation and storage, within the Mpophomeni Enviro-Champs initiative (Pattinson et al. 2023). Further, we aimed to pilot use of an Excel macro-coded data cleaning process coupled with Microsoft Power BI8 dashboard for real-time, semi-automated data handling and visualisation. The pilot was undertaken in collaboration with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW) who are the managing authorities of the Mpophomeni Enviro-Champs initiative. Collaboration with these partners was vital, since the success of citizen science initiatives depends heavily on establishing a community of practice and engaging in knowledge co- production and project co-creation and management with as many relevant stakeholders as possible (Conrad and Daoust 8 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/products/power- bi 7 https://formshare.org/ 6 https://getodk.org/ TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 5 2008). This is especially the case where the data are for direct use in critical management actions for remedying urgent issues within communities (King et al. 2021). As stated by Conrad and Daoust (2008), “A more fruitful starting point is to consider monitoring as part of some integrated system with decision makers and managers engaged in the process. Therefore, a monitoring program should start with the end point to identifying the kinds of information environmental managers require to make good decisions”. As a corollary, but important point, we acknowledge that there is a lack of consensus on what constitutes citizen science and that the term is broadly applied to a spectrum of citizen involvement in science from data collection to project conceptualisation and management (Haklay et al. 2021; Danielsen et al. 2021). While everyone involved in citizen science would likely benefit from a unified definition to better coordinate efforts, within the framework of the Enviro-Champs initiative we use an inclusive terminology that covers all forms of citizen involvement in science at multiple levels, paid or unpaid. METHODS ODK Collect and Formshare The details for the creation of the customised ODK Collect app for data capture, as well as for the function of the Formshare data curation and storage platform are given in Pattinson et al. (2023). Briefly, we collaborated with Qlands9 to help build a customised version of ODK Collect, unique to the Enviro- Champs initiative, that was co-designed with SANBI and UUW to capture all required data in an intuitive form-based format. The XLSForm used to create the customised ODK Collect data collection forms is publicly available for use and modification10. We then set up a data collation and storage project on the Formshare server for gathering the data submitted via the ODK Collect app. The data captured via the ODK Collect app goes into two separate databases in Formshare, 1) a comma-separated value (CSV) file that contains all the data submitted by the ODK Collect app, with a new row created for every data submission, and 2) a zipped media folder, with all the photographic submissions. Data cleaning tool Because of the complexity of the ODK Collect app data collection interface, which contains 14 different tasks and dozens of screens and options (Pattinson et al. 2023), the master database CSV file that is created on Formshare becomes convoluted to analyse in its raw format. Therefore, it was necessary to code a set of macro commands in Excel to clean and sort the data into a manageable database appropriate for further analyses. The code for the data cleaning tool was created in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), the built-in coding language for Excel. The code created allows for the raw 10 XX (to be added) 9 https://www.qlands.com/ data in the CSV to be imported, sorted, cleaned for missing and error values, and delineated into individual sheets that are then useable for further manual analyses or for transfer into the Power BI dashboard interface. Power BI dashboard creation Once the data were cleaned and sorted using the data cleaning tool, they could be pulled across into a customised Power BI dashboard. The dashboard was co-designed with the stakeholders for whom the data summary was important (i.e., SANBI and UUW) to have key data for all the tasks completed on different days or by different people and for key output metrics for different tasks. The dashboard was embedded into Microsoft Sharepoint Online11 so that it could be live-updated from anywhere by managers with access, upscaling the accessibility of the data and data summary reporting. RESULTS Data cleaning tool The data cleaning tool was designed such that each step of the process was a simple button to click in Excel, optimising the intuitiveness and simplicity of the data cleaning process for data managers (Figure 1). The code for this data cleaning tool in Excel is open source, and publicly available12. Figure 1. Screenshot of the Excel data cleaning tool for the raw CSV data for the Enviro-Champs initiative. On Figure 1, each button completes a different stage of the data cleaning process, ultimately resulting in separate sheets for the data associated with each different task, as well as sheets optimised for transfer into Power BI for dashboard reporting. 12 https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/EA5MOI 11 https://www.microsoft.com/en-za/microsoft-365/sharepoint/ collaboration TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 6 Power BI dashboard The dashboard was designed to include date, identity, and task filters, as appropriate, so that the data could be summarised and visualised in an intuitive and malleable way by the Enviro- Champs managers (Figures 2 – 4). For each page of the summary, appropriate maps, tables, and figures were included in the dashboard (Figures 2 – 4). These are purely first-glance summary data that are useful to managers to keep track of important metrics at a high-level. However, more in depth analyses and data visualizations are possible manually using the data that have been cleaned using the data cleaning tool. The live interactive dashboard is open for public viewing13. The dashboard (Figure 2) shows a short summary in text and then has the option to filter (through check-boxes) the summarised information based on the tasks completed by date or task. A table showing the date and the task logged on that date is shown to the left of a pie chart of the distribution of submissions by task on the right-hand side. The Alien Plants monitoring page (Figure 3) of the dashboard has the option to filter (through check-boxes) the summarised 13 https://groundt.sharepoint.com/sites/GT1292-EnviroChampsDashboard?market=en-US Figure 2. The cover page of the customised Enviro-Champs Power BI dashboard. TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 7 information based on the date, type of alien plant of interest, and the size of the stand of alien plants. The dashboard shows an interactive map of the submissions of alien plants, colour coded according to the type of alien plant, a table of the date, latitude, longitude, and alien plant species recorded, a pie chart of the count of each species of alien plant as a proportion of all records, and a pie chart of the count of the sizes of each stand of alien plants as a proportion of all records. The miniSASS monitoring page (Figure 4) of the dashboard has the option to filter (through check-boxes) the summarised information based on the date, river/ stream name, the type of stream (i.e., rocky or sandy, as per the miniSASS assessment protocol; see P. M. Graham et al. 2004), and the miniSASS survey result (i.e., miniSASS score). The dashboard shows an interactive map of the submissions of miniSASS surveys, colour coded according to the different scores, a table of the date, submission identity, and miniSASS score, a pie chart of the distribution of miniSASS scores as a proportion of all submissions, and a pie chart of the count of the types of streams surveyed as a proportion of all records. Figure 4. The mini stream assessment scoring system (miniSASS) monitoring page of the customised Enviro-Champs Power BI dashboard. Figure 3. The Alien Plants monitoring page of the customised Enviro-Champs Power BI dashboard. TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 8 DISCUSSION The process of co-developing a digitally integrated system of data collection, curation, and reporting for the Enviro-Champs initiative, in conjunction with previous work to establish frameworks for recruitment and training (Pattinson et al. 2023), illustrated a method to co-develop and establish a community-based, collaborative, coordinated, and technologically integrated citizen science driven monitoring program in a rural and previously disadvantaged area (Taylor and Taylor 2016; Pattinson et al. 2023; Lepheana et al. 2021). The benefits of this technologically integrated Enviro-Champs system has a range of benefits from data collection through to reporting and influencing management decisions: 1. Training to use citizen science tools, especially ODK Collect for data capture, is an opportunity for the Enviro- Champs themselves to be upskilled in a cooperative, supportive environment that employs action-learning principles (Lepheana et al. 2021; O’Donoghue et al. 2018; Taylor et al. 2013; Taylor and Taylor 2016). The action- learning component must be highlighted: In an action- learning environment, where the Enviro-Champs are involved in adaptively and physically learning with the trainers, the Enviro-Champs can ask questions, help identify key areas where upskilling is required or desired, put learnings into relevant contexts, and practice their skills in a collaborative and supportive ecosystem (Danielsen et al. 2021; Carlos et al. 2023). Action-learning with citizen science tools can also help people develop a connection with natural systems (Taylor et al. 2022; P. M. Graham and Taylor 2018; P. M. Graham et al. 2024), which can foster a compelling reason to be vested in conservation; “If [a person’s] identity is intertwined with their emotional attachment to a particular place, for example a river, then they may be more predisposed to protecting it, particularly if it is at risk of pollution or deterioration… that can lead to further pro-environmental behaviour and, thus, improved or maintained environmental conditions” - Weiner et al. (2022). 2. Data collection is more reliable than using pen-and-paper, since the data are captured using standardised forms, stored immediately, and uploaded to a standardised database, minimising the chances of human error. 3. Because the system is co-designed from the beginning in collaboration with users, managers and authorities who agree to action the data, the data can influence reporting and management in effectively real-time. This speed of data reporting and associated potential action is a considerable upgrade on the previous pen-and-paper system, where the data were captured at best once a week and could take weeks to reach authorities in an actionable format. System co-design with relevant stakeholders at the outset is critical, since community-based monitoring and citizen science can easily become ineffective and unsustainable where the data generated do not have a relevant audience or a clear pathway to influence management or policy (Conrad and Daoust 2008; Pandeya et al. 2021). As stated by Conrad and Daoust (2008), ‘in the absence of any policies or requirements on the part of government to make a specific use of such information, the data runs the risk of “falling on deaf ears”’. We strongly emphasise how important it is to have stakeholder buy-in and a bigger picture of the sphere of influence to ensure the success of citizen science initiatives (Weiner et al. 2022). The success of the Enviro-Champs initiative is owed largely to tireless efforts from the Enviro-Champs community of practice to ceaselessly and openly engage with authorities and managers for mutual benefit. 4. The automated database curation and cloud-based storage on Formshare then eliminates tedious manual data entry (transcribing from pen-and-paper to Excel), many versions of a database on local machines, and the further opportunities for error or data loss (Pollock and Whitelaw 2005). The data are also easily accessible online from anywhere in their raw format. 5. Semi-automated data cleaning and processing via the Excel macro code streamlines data handling, saving considerable time and effort in manual data manipulation. The utility of the data cleaning tool cannot be overstated, since cumbersome and time-consuming manual data handling to generate datasets appropriate for further analyses can be a significant hinderance to data reporting and scalability. This process is also customisable, such that whatever data summarisation or manipulation is required within the dataset can be designed as needed. 6. Automated data summarisation and visualization via Power BI enhances the contact managers have with the data and the Enviro-Champs on the ground. A dashboard summary affords managers with a first-glance overview of the status of data collection in near real-time, giving them the information they need for appropriate interventions, contact with authorities, and feedback to the data collectors. This near real-time connection between managers and the Enviro-Champs allows rapid adaptive management, helping mangers adjust where monitoring seems to have deviated from a plan, or potentially rewards the Enviro-Champs where their data collection is impressive or successful with encouraging feedback. 7. The ODK Collect – Formshare – Power BI pathway also helps the Enviro-Champs on the ground, since they are aware that their data are captured accurately, secure, and transferred to the relevant managers and authorities in a timely manner. Understanding the link between the data being collected and what is being done with those data is critical to the motivation of the Enviro-Champs, or any volunteers (Pollock and Whitelaw 2005; Alender 2016). The system also allows quick feedback to the Enviro- Champs regarding what further action they might be able TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 9 to take in their community to mitigate issues. As stated previously, this gives agency to the people in situ who are often best-placed to resolve issues or report the most pertinent data on local community and environmental issues (Johnston et al. 2022; Pateman et al. 2021; King et al. 2021). Giving locals a two-way communication channels with managers and authorities, in addition to giving them the information and agency required to implement sensible mitigation measures themselves, is a powerful mechanism for enabling rapid and tangible change (Danielsen et al. 2005). This is a crucial common difference between conventional and citizen science; conventional science is no doubt essential for informing large scale changes in policy, but the turnaround time to see real-world change at a local scale in a community can be perilously slow (Danielsen et al. 2021). In the intervening time, local issues persist and the community suffers. Citizen science, on the other hand, can give people the tools to monitor problems themselves in real time and take immediate action (often in the form of communicating with their community and local authorities) to resolve them (Matthews 2018, Sauermann et al. 2020, Dörler et al. 2021, Taylor et al. 2022). It is also worth mentioning that data collection and reporting that involves citizens will inherently have more credibility in terms of transparency, thereby enhancing trust in authorities and their actions (Fraisl et al. 2023; Danielsen et al. 2021; de Sherbinin et al. 2021). This can go a long way towards more efficient, directed, and accepted governance. As noted previously (Pattinson et al. 2023), these benefits of the innovative data collection, management, and reporting system must be considered in relation to potential pitfalls of technicist thinking and assumptions. Research and development of innovative technological solutions within citizen science must be implemented in collaboration with the citizens, such that their needs, capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, and contributions can be accounted for (Fritz et al. 2019; Buytaert et al. 2016; Bonney et al. 2009; Fraisl et al. 2023; Sauermann et al. 2020; Pandeya et al. 2021). In the case of the Enviro-Champs and citizen science in southern Africa generally, there are a range of important considerations with regards to financial limitations, language barriers, internet access, mobile data restrictions, and safety (Weingart and Meyer 2021; Hulbert 2016; Boni et al. 2021; Hulbert et al. 2019). By adopting action-learning principles, whereby the responsibility of technology transfer and citizen science tool uptake are shared between developers, educators, and participants (Rahnema 2020; O’Donoghue et al. 2018; Taylor et al. 2022; Carlos et al. 2023; King et al. 2021). These warnings notwithstanding, the Enviro-Champs presents a clear example of the numerous and vast benefits of a co- developed and collaboratively implemented citizen science- driven, community-based monitoring and engagement initiative. As stated by Danielsen et al. (2021), the careful design and roll-out of a citizen science monitoring and management initiative, “may have a triple win effect. It may simultaneously provide data of value to multiple users beyond the local, lead to social organization for monitoring and management, thereby enhancing the capacity of the community members, and contribute to knowledge generation at the local level about natural resources and resource management in general, and about local practices of resource use in particular”. These benefits can be especially potent among the youth in disadvantaged communities, a group that can be empowered with active roles in the social fabric of their communities, as well as environmental and health education, to achieve social and environmental just transitions (King et al. 2021; Taylor and Taylor 2016; O’Donoghue et al. 2018; Lepheana et al. 2021; UNICEF 2023; Taylor et al. 2022). Broadly, stories from the Enviro-Champs initiative14,15 also showcase how meaningful being included in the scientific process and communication channels regarding local issues can be for people who so often feel excluded or ignored (Taylor and Taylor 2016; Pattinson et al. 2023; Lepheana et al. 2021; Schachtschneider 2016). In South Africa in general, people, especially in townships, feel un-heard, disrespected and ignored (Desai 2002). Inadequate service delivery and a host of apartheid and post-apartheid pressures have contributed to a culture of protest which is often violent (Petrus and Isaacs-Martin 2011; Cornell et al. 2019). From the outset of the Enviro-Champs, a decision was made to work with people at various levels to mitigate the development of an opposition sub-culture of anger or resentment. By working sincerely to connect with community members, sometimes through door-to-door visits, and communicating with local authorities, there was an attempt to develop a culture of respect. In the case of the Palmiet flood event referred to by Minister Creecy, this culture of respect lead to many lives being saved; the messages and warnings of the Enviro-Champs were heeded, largely because they were trusted and respected members of the community. We sometimes refer to this as a supportive ‘social fabric’, connecting environmental issues and risks with people and the authorities. The development and effectiveness of this social fabric illustrates how the issues within rural and disaffected communities genuinely matter to the residents, giving them the strongest incentive to be involved in solutions (Pollock and Whitelaw 2005). Designed inclusion of people who are often overlooked can help overcome feelings of being unwelcome or as though one has nothing to contribute. Participants feel valued and aspire to improve their own circumstances. A sense of hope may develop that can be an essential driving force behind positive change (Pateman et al. 2021; Ough Dealy et al. 2024; Dean and Wilson 2023; Ojala 2012). As a final note on citizen science initiatives, we must highlight that creating sustainable projects and initiatives is inherently reliant on funding at some level. Even the most well-designed 15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjMsNza1S-4&t=54s 14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q60d2wIr8-Y TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 10 and executed citizen science venture is vulnerable to stalling or being scrapped entirely if it does not have a sustainable funding model (Calyx 2020; Hulbert et al. 2019). Arguably the best source of funding to aim for is where funding comes from a circular economy of impact financing in which the initiative is built to function in a way that generates its own funding (see, for example, the IXO internet of impacts model16, or Green Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA) youth Learning2Earning model17) (Katsou et al. 2020). These circular models are on the rise, though they are currently relatively difficult to establish given that the circular economy and impact financing market is in its infancy. While the circular and innovative funding models grow, the vast majority of funding remains in the form of grants, secured from a wide range of organizations. For example, the latest progress in the Enviro-Champs initiative has been funded through the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) Social Employment Fund (SEF) from the National Government in South Africa18, which cost the South African government at least USD 210,000 per month (capital investment, before the major savings associated with the Enviro-Champs work such as reduced water treatment costs, increased water availability, lower health care burdens, and reduced infrastructure damage are accounted for). Considering this present importance of grant funding, it is imperative that citizen science initiatives are set up with the requirements to motivate for grant funding at the outset to ensure sustainability (Lotz-Sisitka et al. 2022; Hulbert et al. 2019). The reality is that being awarded grant funding is usually evidence-based, meaning that to secure grant funding renewals or new sources, there needs to be tangible measures of impact. In the present scientific ecosystem, this primarily means that the project or initiative needs to lead to publications, preferably in scientific, peer-reviewed journals, or at least publicly accessible information detailing outcomes (Danielsen et al. 2021). While citizen science initiatives aimed at making real-world change quickly on the ground may be well-intentioned, if the outcomes are not a matter of public record, especially through credible sources such as scientific articles, then being awarded ongoing funding may prove difficult (Pollock and Whitelaw 2005). The Enviro-Champs have several publications documenting their activities, influence, and positive outcomes in both the grey and scientific literature (Taylor and Taylor 2016; Pattinson et al. 2023; Lepheana et al. 2021; Taylor et al. 2013; Schachtschneider 2016; Lotz-Sisitka et al. 2022). However, the technological advancements within the initiative described here, in addition to their various qualitative benefits described above, are largely aimed at improving these measurement, validity, and evidence aspects of the initiative, such that the enormous potential and positive impacts of the Enviro-Champs are documented and can be used to motivate future funding and upscaling. 16 https://www.ixo.world/ 17 https://migrationnetwork.un.org/practice/green-yoma-youth-move 18 https://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/blogs/heroes-of-environmental- stewardship/ We encourage all citizen science ventures to focus, as a matter of the highest priority, on gathering and publishing data and / or evidence on their impact. This is critical to building a platform for securing ongoing funding and eventually establishing a market economy for the impact. This means focusing on the rigour of the science and validity of the data, as well as attentive measurement and recording of impacts, to ensure that the outcomes are trusted and publishable (Schölvinck et al. 2022; Quinlivan et al. 2020). Doing so will also help with measuring the contribution of citizen science toward locally and nationally important outcomes, including the global SDGs (Ballerini and Bergh 2021; Parkinson et al. 2022; Sanabria-Z et al. 2022; Warner et al. 2024). Collectively, this will motivate for increased investment in citizen science and elevate the impact of all citizen science worldwide. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to extend sincere gratitude to Carlos Quiros and Morris Mwaka for insights and assistance in several meetings and with work on designing and setting up the ODK Collect forms as well as the Formshare data collection and management for the Enviro-Champs initiative. We would also like to specifically thank Jawoo Koo from the CGIAR and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) for the support with this initiative. We are also grateful to Futhi Vilakazi, Ntombi Nxumalo, and Sanele Vilakazi within the UUW team, as well as Nontutuzelo Pearl Gola and the SANBI team for their efforts in collaboration with this work. We thank IWMI and CGIAR for their funding, support, and encouragement to throughout this work. Finally, a huge thanks to the Mpophomeni Enviro-Champs, who have helped drive this research and development, and whose tireless efforts for nearly a decade and a half have been an inspiration to us all. TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 11 REFERENCES Abas, A.; Aziz, A.; Awang, A. 2022. A systematic review on the local wisdom of indigenous people in nature conservation. Sustainability 14(6): 3415. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/su14063415 Alender, B. 2016. Understanding volunteer motivations to participate in citizen science projects: A deeper look at water quality monitoring. Journal of Science Communication 15(3): A04. https://doi.org/ 10.22323/2.15030204 Amarante, V.; Burger, R.; Chelwa, G.; Cockburn, J.; Kassouf, A.; McKay, A.; Zurbrigg, J. 2022. Underrepresentation of developing country researchers in development research. Applied Economics Letters 29(17): 1659–64. https://doi. org/10.1080/13504851.2021.1965528 Ballerini, L.; Bergh, S.I. 2021. Using citizen science data to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals: a bottom-up analysis. Sustainability Science 16(6): 1945–62. https://doi. org/10.1007/s11625-021-01001-1 Benyei, P.; Skarlatidou, A.; Argyriou, D.; Hall, R.; Theilade, I.; Turreira García, N.; Latreche, D.; Albert, A.; Berger, D.; Cartró-Sabaté, M.; Chang, J.; Chiaravalloti, R.; Cortesi, A.; Danielsen, F.; Haklay, M.; Jacobi, E.; Nigussie, A.; Reyes García, V.; Rodrigues, E.; Sauini, T.; Shadrin, V.; Siqueira, A.; Supriadi, M.R.; Tillah, M.; Tofighi-Niaki, A.; Vronski, N.; Woods, T. 2023. Challenges, strategies, and impacts of doing citizen science with marginalised and indigenous communities: Reflections from project coordinators. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice 8(1:21): 15. https://doi.org/ 10.5334/cstp.514 Blake, C.; Rhanor, A.; Pajic, C. 2020. The demographics of citizen science participation and its implications for data quality and environmental justice. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice 5(1): 21. https://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.320 Boni, A.; Velasco, D.; Tau, M. 2021. The role of transformative innovation for SDGs localisation: Insights from the South- African “Living Catchments Project.” Journal of Human Development and Capabilities 22(4): 737–47. https://doi. org/10.1080/19452829.2021.1986688 Bonney, R.; Cooper, C.B.; Dickinson, J.; Kelling, S.; Phillips, T.; Rosenberg, K.V.; Shirk, J. 2009. Citizen science: A developing tool for expanding science knowledge and scientific literacy. BioScience 59(11): 977–84. https://doi. org/10.1525/bio.2009.59.11.9 Brooks, M.; Rose, S.; Altwegg, R.; Lee, A.T.K.; Nel, H.; Ottosson, U.; Retief, E.; Reynolds, C.; Ryan, P.G.; Shema, S.; Tende, T.; Underhill, L.G.; Thomson, R.L. 2022. The African Bird Atlas Project: A description of the project and BirdMap data-collection protocol. Ostrich 93(4): 223–32. https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2022.2125097 Buytaert, W.; Dewulf, A.; de Bièvre, B.; Clark, J.; Hannah, D.M. 2016. Citizen science for water resources management: Toward polycentric monitoring and governance? Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management 142(4): 1816002. https://doi.org/10.1061/ (ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0000641 Buytaert, W.; Zulkafli, Z.; Grainger, S.; Acosta, L.; Alemie, T.C.; Bastiaensen, J.; de Bièvre, B.; Bhusal, J.; Clark, J.; Dewulf, A.; Foggin, M.; Hannah, D.M.; Hergarten, C.; Isaeva, A.; Karpouzoglou, T.; Pandeya, B.; Paudel, D.; Sharma, K.; Steenhuis, T.; Tilahun, S.; Van Hecken, G.; Zhumanova, M. 2014. Citizen science in hydrology and water resources: opportunities for knowledge generation, ecosystem service management, and sustainable development. Frontiers in Earth Science 2: 26. https://doi. org/10.3389/feart.2014.00026 Calyx, C. 2020. Sustaining citizen science beyond an emergency. Sustainability 12(11): 4522. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/su12114522 Carlos, V.; Reses, G.; Soares, S.C. 2023. Active learning spaces design and assessment: A qualitative systematic literature review. Interactive Learning Environments, 1–18. https:// doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2022.2163263 Conrad, C.T.; Daoust, T. 2008. Community-based monitoring frameworks: Increasing the effectiveness of environmental stewardship. Environmental Management 41: 358–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-007-9042-x Cornell, J.; Malherbe, N.; Suffla, S.; Seedat, M. 2019. Reflecting critically on the researcher-participant encounter in focus groups: Racialized interactions, contestations and (re) presentations of South Africa’s “protest culture.” Qualitative Research in Psychology 19(1): 221–43. https:// doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2019.1577519 Danielsen, F.; Burgess, N.D.; Balmford, A. 2005. Monitoring matters: Examining the potential of locally-based approaches. Biodiversity & Conservation 14: 2507–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-005-8375-0 Danielsen, F.; Enghoff, M.; Poulsen, M.K.; Funder, M.; Jensen, P.M.; Burgess, N.D. 2021. The concept, practice, application, and results of locally based monitoring of the environment. BioScience 71(5): 484–502. https://doi.org/ 10.1093/biosci/biab021 de Sherbinin, A.; Bowser, A.; Chuang, T.-R.; Cooper, C.; Danielsen, F.; Edmunds, R.; Elias, P.; Faustman, E.; Hultquist, C.; Mondardini, R.; Popescu, I.; Shonowo, A.; Sivakumar, K. 2021. The critical importance of citizen science data. Frontiers in Climate 3: 650760. https:// doi.org/ 10.3389/fclim.2021.650760 Dean, A.J.; Wilson, K.A. 2023. Relationships between hope, optimism, and conservation engagement. Conservation Biology 37(2): e14009. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14020 TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 12 Desai, A. 2002. We Are the Poors: Community Struggles in Post-Apartheid South Africa. NYU Press, Washington DC, USA. Dillon, D.G.; Pirie, F.; Rice, S.; Pomilla, C.; Sandhu, M.S.; Motala, A.A.; Young, E.H. 2014. Open-source electronic data capture system offered increased accuracy and cost-effectiveness compared with paper methods in Africa. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 67(12): 1358–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2014.06.012 Domínguez, L.; Luoma, C. 2020. Decolonising conservation policy: How colonial land and conservation ideologies persist and perpetuate indigenous injustices at the expense of the environment. Land 9(3): 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/ land9030065 Dörler, D.; Fritz, S.; Voigt-Heucke, S.; Heigl, F. 2021. Citizen science and the role in sustainable development. Sustainability 13(10): 5676. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su13105676 Elias, P.; Shonowo, A.; de Sherbinin, A.; Hultquist, C.; Danielsen, F.; Cooper, C.; Mondardini, M.; Faustman, E.; Browser, A.; Minster, J.; van Deventer, M.; Popescu, I. 2023. Mapping the landscape of citizen science in Africa: Assessing its potential contributions to sustainable development goals 6 and 11 on access to clean water and sanitation and sustainable cities. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice 8(1:33): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.601 Estrada, A.; Garber, P.A.; Gouveia, S.; Fernández-Llamazares, Á.; Ascensão, F.; Fuentes, A.; Garnett, S.T.; Shaffer, C.; Bicca-Marques, J.; Fa, J.E.; Hockings, K.; Shanee, S.; Johnson, S.; Shepard, G.H.; Shanee, N.; Golden, C.D.; Cárdenas-Navarrete, A.; Levey, D.R.; Boonratana, R.; Dobrovolski, R. 2022. Global importance of Indigenous Peoples, their lands, and knowledge systems for saving the world’s primates from extinction. Science Advances 8(31): eabn2927. https://doi.org/10.1126/ sciadv.abn2927 Fabio, R.A.; Stracuzzi, A.; Faro, R. Lo. 2022. Problematic smartphone use leads to behavioral and cognitive self- control deficits. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19(12): 7445. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/ijerph19127445 Fernández-Llamazares, Á.; Lepofsky, D.; Lertzman, K.; Armstrong, C.G.; Brondizio, E.S.; Gavin, M.C.; Lyver, P.O.; Nicholas, G.P.; Pascua, P.; Reo, N.J.; Reyes-García, V.; Turner, N.J.; Yletyinen, J.; Anderson, E.N.; Balée, W.; Cariño, J.; David-Chavez, D.M.; Dunn, C.P.; Garnett, S.C.; Greening (La'goot), S.; Jackson (Niniwum Selapem), S.; Kuhnlein, H.; Molnár, Z.; Odonne, G.; Retter, G.; Ripple, W.J.; Sáfián, L.; Bahraman, A.S.; Torrents-Ticó, M.; Vaughan, M.B. 2021. Scientists’ warning to humanity on threats to indigenous and local knowledge systems. Journal of Ethnobiology 41(2): 144–69. https://doi.org/ 10.2993/0278-0771-41.2.14 Fraisl, D.; Campbell, J.; See, L.; Wehn, U.; Wardlaw, J.; Gold, M.; Moorthy, I.; Arias, R.; Piera, J.; Oliver, J.L.; Masó, J.; Penker, M.; Fritz, S. 2020. Mapping citizen science contributions to the UN sustainable development goals. Sustainability Science 15: 1735–51. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s11625-020-00833-7 Fraisl, D.; See, L.; Campbell, J.; Danielsen, F.; Andrianandrasana, H.T. 2023. The contributions of citizen science to the United Nations sustainable development goals and other international agreements and frameworks. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice 8(1:27): 1–6. https:// doi.org/10.5334/cstp.643 Fritz, S.; See, L.; Carlson, T.; Haklay, M.; Oliver, J.L.; Fraisl, D.; Mondardini, R.; Brocklehurst, M.; Shanley, L.A.; Schade, S.; Wehn, U.; Abrate, T.; Anstee, J.; Arnold, S.; Billot, M.; Campbell, J.; Espey, J.; Gold, M.; Hager, G.; He, S.; Hepburn, L.; Hsu, A.; Long, D.; Masó, J.; West, S -s. 2019. Citizen science and the United Nations sustainable development goals. Nature Sustainability 2(10): 922–30. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0390-3 Graham, E.A.; Henderson, S.; Schloss, A. 2011. Using mobile phones to engage citizen scientists in research. Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union 92(38): 313–15. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011EO380002 Graham, P.M.; Dickens, C.W.S.; Taylor, J. 2004. MiniSASS— A novel technique for community participation in river health monitoring and management. African Journal of Aquatic Science 29(1): 25–35. https://doi.org/ 10.2989/16085910409503789 Graham, P.M.; Pattinson, N.B.; Lepheana, A.T.; Taylor, J. 2024. Clarity tubes as effective citizen science tools for monitoring wastewater treatment works and rivers. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, no. In Press. https://doi.org/10.1002/ ieam.4937 Graham, P.M.; Taylor, J. 2018. Development of Citizen Science Water Resource Monitoring Tools and Communities of Practice for South Africa, Africa and the World. Edited by P.M. Graham and J. Taylor. Pretoria, South Africa: Water Research Commission (WRC) Report No. TT 763/18. Available at https://www.wrc.org.za/wp-content/ uploads/mdocs/TT%20763%20web.pdf (accessed 22 April 2024). Haklay, M.; Dörler, D.; Heigl, F.; Manzoni, M.; Hecker, S.; Vohland, K. 2021. What is citizen science? The challenges of definition. In The Science of Citizen Science, edited by Vohland, K., Land-Zandstra, A., Ceccaroni, L., Lemmens, R., Perelló, J., Ponti, M., Samson, R., and Wagenknecht, K. Cham, Switzerland: Springer, pp.13–33. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/978-3-030-58278-4_2 Hartung, C.; Lerer, A.; Anokwa, Y.; Tseng, C.; Brunette, W.; Borriello, G. 2010. TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 13 Kit: Tools to build information services for developing regions. In Proceedings of the 4th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development. Article 18, pp.1–12. https:/ /doi.org/10.1145/2369220.2369236 Hulbert, J.M. 2016. Citizen science tools available for ecological research in South Africa. South African Journal of Science 112(5–6): 1–2. https://doi.org/10.17159/ sajs.2016/a0152 Hulbert, J.M.; Turner, S.C.; Scott, S.L. 2019. Challenges and solutions to establishing and sustaining citizen science projects in South Africa. South African Journal of Science 115(7–8): 1–4. https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2019/5844 Irwin, A. 2018. Citizen science comes of age: Efforts to engage the public in research are bigger and more diverse than ever. But how much more room is there to grow? Nature 562(7728): 480–82. https://doi.org/10.1038/ d41586-018-07106-5 Jasanoff, S. 2018. Just transitions: A humble approach to global energy futures. Energy Research & Social Science 35: 11–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.erss.2017.11.025 Johnston, A.; Matechou, E.; Dennis, E.B. 2022. Outstanding challenges and future directions for biodiversity monitoring using citizen science data. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 14(1): 103–16. https:// doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13834 Jönsson, M.; Kasperowski, D.; Coulson, S.J.; Nilsson, J.; Bína, P.; Kullenberg, C.; Hagen, N.; van der Wal, R.; Peterson, J. 2024. Inequality persists in a large citizen science programme despite increased participation through ICT innovations. Ambio 53(1): 126–37. https:// doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01917-1 Katsou, E.; Nika, C.-E.; Buehler, D.; Marić, B.; Megyesi, B.; Mino, E.; Almenar, J.B.; Bas, B.; Bećirović, D.; Bokal, S.; Đolić, M.; Elginöz, N.; Kalnis, G.; Mateo, M.-C.G.; Milousi, M.; Mousavi, A.; Rinčić, I.; Rizzo, A.; Rodriguez- Roda, I.; Rugani, B.; ąalaeviĶienļ, A.; Sari, R.; Stanchev, P.; Topuz, E.; Atanasova, N. 2020. Transformation tools enabling the implementation of nature-based solutions for creating a resourceful circular city. Blue-Green Systems 2(1): 188–213. https://doi.org/10.2166/bgs.2020.929 King, A.C.; Odunitan-Wayas, F.A.; Chaudhury, M.; Rubio, M.A.; Baiocchi, M.; Kolbe-Alexander, T.; Montes, F.; Banchoff, A.; Sarmiento, O.L.; Bälter, K.; Hinckson, E.; Chastin, S.; Lambert, E. V; González, S.A.; Guerra, A.M.; Gelius, P.; Zha, C.; Sarabu, C.; Kakar, P.A.; Fernes, P.; Rosas, L.G.; Winter, S.J.; McClain, E.; Gardiner, P.A. 2021. Community-based approaches to reducing health inequities and fostering environmental justice through global youth-engaged citizen science. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18(3): 892. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030892 Landman, W.A.; Archer, E.R.M.; Tadross, M.A. 2020. Citizen science for the prediction of climate extremes in South Africa and Namibia. Frontiers in Climate 2: 5. https://doi. org/10.3389/fclim.2020.00005 Lee, A.T.K.; Brooks, M.; Underhill, L.G. 2022. The SABAP2 legacy: A review of the history and use of data generated by a long-running citizen science project. South African Journal of Science 118(1–2): 1–4. https:// doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2022/12030 Lepheana, A.T.; Russell, C.; Taylor, J. 2021. Co-researching transformation within training processes in a post COVID-19 world: The case story of the Palmiet Enviro-Champs, indigenous knowledge practices and Action Learning. In Stories of Collective Learning and Care during a Pandemic: Reflective Research by Practitioners, Researchers and Community-Based Organisers on the Collective Shifts and Praxis Needed to Regenerate Transformative Futures, edited by Kulundu-Bolus, I., Chakona, G., and Lotz-Sisitka, H. CC BY-NC-SA International 4.0 Licence: Transforming Education for Sustainable Futures (TESF) and the Rhodes University (RU) Environmental Learning Research Centre (ELRC), pp.55–82. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5281/ zenodo.5704833 Lotz-Sisitka, H.; Ward, M.; Taylor, J.; Vallabh, P.; Madiba, M.; Graham, P.M.; Louw, A.J.; Brownell, F. 2022. Alignment, scaling and resourcing of citizen-based water quality monitoring Initiatives. In Research into Alignment, Scaling and Resourcing of Citizen-Based Water Quality Monitoring (CBWQM) to Realising the Integrated Water Quality Management Strategy Project. Pretoria, South Africa: Water Research Commission (WRC) Report No. 2854/1/22. Available at https://www.wrc.org.za/wp-content/uploads/ mdocs/2854%20final.pdf (accessed 22 April 2024). Lukyanenko, R.; Wiggins, A.; Rosser, H.K. 2020. Citizen science: An information quality research frontier. Information Systems Frontiers 22: 961–83. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10796-019-09915-z Maas, B.; Pakeman, R.J.; Godet, L.; Smith, L.; Devictor, V.; Primack, R. 2021. Women and Global South strikingly underrepresented among top-publishing ecologists. Conservation Letters 14(4): e12797. https://doi.org/ 10.1111/conl.12797 Matthews, S. 2018. Suite of tools help citizens take control of freshwater management. Water Wheel 17(5): 24–27. Available at https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/EJC- 10e29c6daf (access 22 April 2024). TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 14 McKinley, D.C.; Miller-Rushing, A.J.; Ballard, H.L.; Bonney, R.; Brown, H.; Cook-Patton, S.C.; Evans, D.M.; French, R.A.; Parrish, J.K.; Phillips, T.B.; Ryan, S.F.; Shanley, L.A.; Shirk, J.L.; Stepenuck, K.F.; Weltzin, J.F.; Wiggins, A.; Boyle, O.D.; Briggs, R.D.; Chapin III, S.F.; Hewitt, D.A.; Preuss, P.W.; Soukup, M.A. 2017. Citizen science can improve conservation science, natural resource management, and environmental protection. Biological Conservation 208: 15–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. biocon.2016.05.015 Mussehl, M.L.; Horne, A.C.; Webb, J.A.; Poff, N.L. 2022. Purposeful stakeholder engagement for improved environmental flow outcomes. Frontiers in Environmental Science 9: 749864. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fenvs.2021.749864 NASEM. 2018. Learning through Citizen Science: Enhancing Opportunities by Design. Edited by K.A. Dibner and R. Pandya. Washington, DC, USA: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM); National Academies Press, Washington, DC, USA. https://doi.org/ 10.17226/25183 Njue, N.; Kroese, J.S.; Gräf, J.; Jacobs, S.R.; Weeser, B.; Breuer, L.; Rufino, M.C. 2019. Citizen science in hydrological monitoring and ecosystem services management: State of the art and future prospects. Science of the Total Environment 693: 133531. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.337 Nugent, J. 2018. INaturalist. Science Scope 41(7): 12–13. O’Donoghue, R.; Taylor, J.; Venter, V. 2018. How are learning and training environments transforming with ESD? In Issues and Trends in Education for Sustainable Development, edited by Leicht, A., Heiss, J., and Byun, W.J. Paris, France: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), pp.111–131. https:// doi.org/10.54675/YELO2332 Ojala, M. 2012. Hope and climate change: The importance of hope for environmental engagement among young people. Environmental Education Research 18(5): 625–42. https:// doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2011.637157 Ough Dealy, H.R.; Jarvis, R.M.; Young, T.; Maharaj, K.; Petterson, M. 2024. The role of hope and conservation attitudes in current conservation actions and future conservation intentions. Discover Sustainability 5(1): 1– 16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00186-6 Ouma, Y.O.; Waga, J.; Okech, M.; Lavisa, O.; Mbuthia, D. 2018. Estimation of reservoir bio-optical water quality parameters using smartphone sensor apps and Landsat ETM+: review and comparative experimental results. Journal of Sensors 2018(3490757): 32. https://doi.org/ 10.1155/2018/3490757 Pandeya, B.; Buytaert, W.; Potter, C. 2021. Designing citizen science for water and ecosystem services management in data-poor regions: Challenges and opportunities. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability 3: 100059. https:/ /doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2021.100059 Parkinson, S.; Woods, S.M.; Sprinks, J.; Ceccaroni, L. 2022. A practical approach to assessing the impact of citizen science towards the sustainable development goals. Sustainability 14(8): 4676. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su14084676 Pateman, R.M.; Dyke, A.; West, S.E. 2021. The diversity of participants in environmental citizen science. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice 6(1): 1–16. https://doi.org/ 10.5334/cstp.369 Pattinson, N.B.; Taylor, J.; Lepheana, A.T.; Dickens, C.W.S.; Graham, P.M. 2023. The enviro-champs: Establishing a framework for a technologically upgraded environmental monitoring network at community scale. CGIAR Technical Report Prepared in collaboration with GroundTruth and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) as part of the CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation. 19p. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Available at https://hdl.handle.net/10568/138440 (accessed 22 April 2024). Petrus, T.; Isaacs-Martin, W. 2011. Reflections on violence and scapegoating in the strike and protest culture in South Africa. Africa Insight 41(2). https://doi.org/10.4314/ai. v41i2.70393 Poisson, A.C.; McCullough, I.M.; Cheruvelil, K.S.; Elliott, K.C.; Latimore, J.A.; Soranno, P.A. 2020. Quantifying the contribution of citizen science to broad-scale ecological databases. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 18(1): 19–26. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2128 Pollock, R.M.; Whitelaw, G.S. 2005. Community-based monitoring in support of local sustainability. Local Environment 10(3): 211–28. https://doi.org/ 10.1080=13549830500075438 Queiruga-Dios, M.Á.; López-Iñesta, E.; Diez-Ojeda, M.; Sáiz- Manzanares, M.C.; Vazquez Dorrio, J.B. 2020. Citizen science for scientific literacy and the attainment of sustainable development goals in formal education. Sustainability 12(10): 4283. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su12104283 Quinlivan, L.; Chapman, D. V; Sullivan, T. 2020. Validating citizen science monitoring of ambient water quality for the United Nations sustainable development goals. Science of the Total Environment 699: 134255. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134255 Rahim, H.A.; Zulkifli, S.N.; Subha, N.A.M.; Rahim, R.A.; Abidin, H.Z. 2017. Water quality monitoring using wireless sensor network and smartphone-based applications: A review. Sensors & Transducers 209(2): 1. Available at https://www.sensorsportal.com/HTML/DIGEST/february_ 2017/Vol_209/P_2897.pdf (accessed 22 April 2024). TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital 15 Rahnema, M. 2020. Participation. In The Development Dictionary. A Guide to Knowledge as Power, edited by Sachs, W., 3rd ed. London, UK; New York, USA: Zed Books, pp.332. Sanabria-Z, J.; Alfaro-Ponce, B.; González Peña, O.I.; Terashima-Marín, H.; Ortiz-Bayliss, J.C. 2022. Engagement and social impact in tech-based citizen science initiatives for achieving the SDGs: A systematic literature review with a perspective on complex thinking. Sustainability 14(17): 10978. https:// doi.org/10.3390/su141710978 Sauermann, H.; Vohland, K.; Antoniou, V.; Balázs, B.; Göbel, C.; Karatzas, K.; Mooney, P.; Perelló, J.; Ponti, M.; Samson, R.; Winter, S. 2020. Citizen science and sustainability transitions. Research Policy 49(5): 103978. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.respol.2020.103978 Schachtschneider, K. 2016. Breede catchment water stewardship programme–Summary report. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Report. Available at www.wwf.org.za/freshwater (accessed 22 April 2024). Schölvinck, A.-F.M.; Scholten, W.; Diederen, P.J.M. 2022. Improve water quality through meaningful, not just any, citizen science. PLOS Water 1(12): e0000065. https://doi. org/10.1371/journal.pwat.0000065 Scott, A.B.; Frost, P.C. 2017. Monitoring water quality in Toronto’s urban stormwater ponds: Assessing participation rates and data quality of water sampling by citizen scientists in the FreshWater Watch. Science of the Total Environment 592: 738–44. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j. scitotenv.2017.01.201 Silvertown, J.; Harvey, M.; Greenwood, R.; Dodd, M.; Rosewell, J.; Rebelo, T.; Ansine, J.; McConway, K. 2015. Crowdsourcing the identification of organisms: A case- study of iSpot. ZooKeys, no. 480: 125. https://doi.org/ 10.3897/zookeys.480.8803 Sullivan, B.L.; Wood, C.L.; Iliff, M.J.; Bonney, R.E.; Fink, D.; Kelling, S. 2009. EBird: A citizen-based bird observation network in the biological sciences. Biological Conservation 142(10): 2282–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. biocon.2009.05.006 Swilling, M. 2020. The Age of Sustainability: Just Transitions in a Complex World. Edited by M Swilling. Routledge Taylor & Francis, Abingdon, Oxon and New York, NY. Taylor, J.; Graham, P.M.; Louw, A.J.; Lepheana, A.T.; Madikizela, B.; Dickens, C.W.S.; Chapman, D. V; Warner, S. 2022. Social change innovations, citizen science, miniSASS and the SDGs. Water Policy 24(5): 708–17. https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2021.264 Taylor, J.; Msomi, L.; Taylor, E. 2013. Shiyabazali settlement: Water quality monitoring and community involvement. In Innovation in Local and Global Learning Systems for Sustainability, edited by Fadeeva, Z., Payyappallimana, U., and Petry, R. Yokohoma, Japan: United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS), pp.92–95. Available at http://www.ias.unu.edu/resource_centre/ Final%20FULL%20UNU%20SCP%20Booklet%20Single %20Pages.pdf (accessed 22 April 2024). Taylor, J.; Taylor, E. 2016. Enviro-Champs: Community mobilization, education and relationship building. In Resilience by Design: A Selection of Case Studies. Pretoria, South Africa: International Water Security Network and Monash University, pp.14–15. Available at http://www. watersecuritynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/ Resilience-by-Design-booklet.pdf (accessed 22 April 2024). Tengö, M.; Austin, B.J.; Danielsen, F.; Fernández- Llamazares, Á. 2021. Creating synergies between citizen science and Indigenous and local knowledge. BioScience 71(5): 503–18. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biab023 Udhav Maharaj, 2024, "Enviro-Champs Formshare Data Cleaning Tool", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/ EA5MOI, Harvard Dataverse, V1 UNESCO. 2018. Issues and Trends in Education for Sustainable Development. Edited by Alexander Leicht, J. Heiss, and W.J. Byun. Vol. 5. Paris, France: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Available at https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/ 48223/pf0000261954 (accessed 22 April 2024). UNICEF. 2023. Triple Threat: How Disease, Climate Risks, and Unsafe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Create a Deadly Combination for Children. New York, USA: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Available at https:// www. unicef.org/media/137206/file/triple-threat-wash- EN.pdf (accessed 22 April 2024). Warner, S.; Blanco Ramírez, S.; de Vries, S.; Marangu, N.; Ateba Bessa, H.; Toranzo, C.; Imaralieva, M.; Abrate, T.; Kiminta, E.; Castro, J.; de Souza, M.L.; Memon, A.G.; Loiselle, S.; Juanah, M.S.E. 2024. Empowering citizen scientists to improve water quality: From monitoring to action. Frontiers in Water 6: 1367198. https://doi.org/ 10.3389/frwa.2024.1367198 Weiner, D.; Bloomer, J.; Conchúir, R.Ó.; Dalton, C. 2022. The role of volunteers and citizen scientists in addressing declining water quality in Irish river catchments. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice 7(1): 13. https://doi.org/ 10.5334/cstp.447 Weingart, P.; Meyer, C. 2021. Citizen science in South Africa: Rhetoric and reality. Public Understanding of Science 30(5): 605–20. https:doi.org/10.1177/0963662521996556 TECHNICAL REPORT CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation | on.cgiar.org/digital This publication has been prepared as an output of the CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation, which researches pathways to accelerate the transformation towards sustainable and inclusive agrifood systems by generating research-based evidence and innovative digital solutions. This publication has not been independently peer reviewed. Responsibility for editing, proofreading, and layout, opinions expressed, and any possible errors lies with the authors and not the institutions involved. The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), CGIAR, our partner institutions, or donors. In line with principles defined in the CGIAR Open and FAIR Data Assets Policy, this publication is available under a CC BY 4.0 license. © The copyright of this publication is held by IWMI. We thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund. 16 WHO. 2019. National systems to support drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene: Global status report 2019. UN- Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water: GLAAS 2019 Report. World Health Organisation (WHO), Geneva, no. C BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. Available at https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/326444 (accessed 22 April 2024). WHO; UNICEF. 2021. Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000-2020: Five years into the SDGs. World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, and Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) Geneva: 1–162. Available at https://www.who.int/ publications/i/item/9789240030848 (accessed 22 April 2024). WRC. 2016. The Transparent Velocity Head Rod: A Simple Citizen Science Tool to Measure Stream Velocity. The Water Research Commission (WRC) Project No. K5/2350, Pretoria, South Africa. Available at https:// capacityforcatchments.org/downloads/K5-2350_Velocity_ Plank_user_guide.pdf (accessed 22 April 2024). http://on.cgiar.org/digital https://hdl.handle.net/10568/124807 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/124807 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://www.iwmi.cgiar.org https://www.cgiar.org/funders/ Figure 1