3rd World Farmer is a serious-thought-provoking survival and business strategy simulation game for high school teens and college students where you have to manage an impoverished African farm in the dried out Sub-Saharan desert. This is an exceptional role-playing game, and gives you a first hand insight into the extreme challenges faced by the starving, struggling farmers of the developing nations. You have to make tough moral and survival decisions in order to provide for your underprivileged family, while enduring droughts, disease, poverty, corruption and war. How ethical will you be when you need to pay your ailing family’s food and medical bills? Will you accept virtual money for storing chemical waste, and housing terrorists?
The deal is: Your mission is to help the head of the family turn this developing nation farm into a commercial success. You must carefully budget and decide which crops to grow each year to survive. There are several crops to choose from (corn, wheat, cotton and peanuts), and some prove more risky than others, providing potentially large earnings or huge losses. Make enough money to invest in the necessary tools such as ploughs, harvesters and tractors to improve your crop yields. Increase your capital by investing wisely in essential buildings such as sheds, wells and barns. But remember, all investments have risks: wells can dry up, barns can be destroyed and livestock can be stolen. Do not get too greedy! You must prioritize your family’s health first, or they may weaken and be struck down by a deadly disease!
How to Play: Each year you must decide which crops to grow on your restricted budget. Use your computer mouse to select and buy crops, livestock, tools and buildings. Left click in the upper left corner of the game screen, and then drag and place the crops in your field. Left click your mouse again on a family member in the center of the screen to administer medicine and other options. When you have bought all your items for the season, click the “Right Arrow” in the top right corner of the screen to forward your self one year ahead. You will receive an annual report of how your farm has performed.
To win you need expert business thinking and strategic thinking skills to ensure that your family, farm and community is safe and prosperous into the future. Carefully strategize and invest in “Communications” to coordinate sales with other farmers, “Infrastructure” for easier access to markets and “Crop Insurance” to give your family an income when your crops fail. Support a local “School” and “Clinic” for improved health and education services in your area. Donate to a local “Politician” who genuinely wants peace, health and prosperity for all: This will benefit the long term well-being of the nation. When you have succeeded in purchasing the six above mentioned items, you win. Good luck with your farming venture!