Farmcraft 2.0: Using Minecraft to Promote Biotec

Notice ID: 19AQMM21RECAEB001

Contract Award Number: 19AQMM21P1373

Description: To increase the participants’ (high school-aged students within selected countries) understanding of agricultural biotechnology and encourage collaboration with others around the world using a virtual program that is composed of science-based Esport Minecraft challenges, informational videos prepared by experts in the field, and live online engagement events.

Deliverables:

Expand upon the existing Farmcraft world model to develop additional challenges and/or biomes in order to explore the role of agricultural biotechnology and other tools in overcoming modeled real-world challenges, including the effects of climate change, such as:

Using NPCs to provide essential and stimulating information regarding climate change science and its impact on agricultural systems;

Altering the way the environmental variables work in the game to reflect real-world consequences of climate change on agriculture (e.g., high temperatures reduce water retention in the soil, increased rain causes flooding);

Increasing the cost of and need to apply inputs due to the worsening effects of climate change;

Modeling the effects of standard agricultural practices on soil health and greenhouse gas emissions;

Exploring the different traits that can be introduced into crops using biotechnology (e.g., herbicide-tolerance, insect-resistance, water conservation, flooding resilience, crop size).

Execute an 8-16 week competition streamed on the CONTRACTOR platform and YouTube livestreams that takes place in a specifically designed Minecraft biome world, which enables participants to compete in challenges for developing the best farming designs that emphasize crop yields, the appropriate use of biotechnology, impacts of climate change, and sustainability.

Execute virtual exchange opportunities where students can tap into their talent apart from their competitive teams. This enables students with diverse interests in different sectors to learn new skills, expand their knowledge, interact with participants from different countries, and gain real experience in potential future career opportunities. Opportunities will incorporate biotechnology and climate change topics.

Execute student/educator ambassador virtual summit(s), where participants present their knowledge, learning, and explore the contributions of others in the tournament. The ambassador alumni program will act as a program retention tool to deepen skills and connections between participants and promote mutual understanding.

Manage communication servers and forums for teams/communities throughout the project to exchange ideas and enable direct communication between participants.

Provide marketing, communications and social media marketing tools (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, and visual collaterals, such as graphics and video).

Deliver recognition and digital certifications for tournament winners and virtual exchange opportunity participants.

Provide professional, regional trainers (or coordinators) to create regional networks of participants and alumni to increase exchange opportunities between participants within those regions, promote mutual understanding, and enhance their understanding of local agriculture challenges. Regional networks could be matched to State Department regions to assist with engagement with Embassies. The State Department regions are: Western Hemisphere, Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa, East Asia and Pacific, and South Central Asia, can adjust regions based on participating countries.

Incorporate real time simultaneous head-to-head scrimmages between teams utilizing Minecraft Education Make and Model worlds. Regional competitions could be organized by regional trainers.