Third world farmer online game - who is playing?
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
3rd World Farmer is an online game in the genre of serious games. It simulates some of the mechanisms that cause and sustain poverty in 3rd World countries. Being a great initiative launched in 2006 by Danish students, it now tells the story that NGOs like us to believe: "There is no way out of the poverty trap and the only action is provided by us, NGOs." Third world farmer is a relatively easy game. You are a farmer and you have a starting amount of 50 which allows you to plant and earn an income. As your income increases you can build a barn or a well, buy livestock, acquire a mobile or support a politician. You are also offered opportunities as to grow poppy or have an illegal chemical deposit on your farm.
"As a farm and family management game it has an emotional impact on many players because usually these types of games play out in much easier settings, where it's always possible to prosper by playing cleverly and making the right game choices. It's not always like that in 3rd World Farmer", reads the About us information on the site.Â
And in fact, it results impossible to prosper, after serveral cycles you always end dead, the family murdered by guerillas, crops and cattle lost by diseases or without return as a result of adverse market developments. But, happily there is a button to take action that displays the sponsoring NGOs! And even with all that support you have to watch a 15 seconds announcement (no escape) whenever you want to start the game. What a drag!
But I wonder in which third world farmers operate in such an isolation as in the game? Only in the NGO third world! Why not introduce the power of organisation, as in the real third world almost 20% of the third world farmers is already enjoying the benefits of it. And, the number of organised farmers is increasing rapidly. Where are the financial institutions? It would allow farmers to invest and prosper and reflect nowadays reality in which money is available.Â
Third world farmer is a great initiative, but needs improvements to reflect also the mechanisms to get out of the poverty.
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