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I3dlo case study: Developing farming skills in Zimbabwe

 

Background

World Links Zimbabwe began to share the i3dlo vision in 2003 and together with the Naledi3d Factory, started to explore ways to take this approach down to a grass-roots level. It was with the support of the WK Kellogg Foundation from 2005 that this collaboration was able to develop into action.

 

Developed 3D content was taken to rural communities by World Links Zimbabwe (in Shona), firstly on the subject of bee-keeping and later on; more general farming skills, targeting small-holding farmers and providing relevant farming and life-skill information that have has a direct impact on agricultural productivity.

 

Against a background of economic downturn and poor rainfall in most parts of Zimbabwe, and at a time when land is being transferred to people new to farming practice, this project presented itself as a timely and appropriate intervention.

 

 

Project aims
This project had four broad aims:

To help rural communities better understand and be better empowered to address local issues that impact on rural development – in this case, agricultural development

To demonstrate the use of VR-based learning and the use of i3dlo’s as a new, innovative visually interactive communication / learning medium

Agricultural capacity building through focused training of local farmers and other community members through the World Links community centres

Building of skills in World Links on the “localisation” (translation) of i3dlo’s before being taken out into the field.

 

 

Implementation through workshops
These goals were addressed through workshops at five World Links community centres. They were preceded by planning visits, discussions with the school, community leaders, local farmers and the youth, on the VR Project to confirm that this approach would be welcome and beneficial to their community. Each community then formed a local “VR Committee” to drive the initiative – and the workshops were typically run over two days, focussing on “training the trainer” as well as members of the local community.

 

By way of example of the workshop process: a workshop in Mandedza (March 2008) was attended by 23 people (farmers, teachers, AGRITEX officers, students, administrators and local chiefs). After going through the plough-related i3dlo’s (among others), most farmers realized that they were using their own ploughs incorrectly. By removing some parts to make the ploughs lighter, they were unable to adjust for furrow depth and width. After some of the richest discussions of the project, ploughs in the district began to be adjusted correctly, directly impacting on crop yield. This demonstrates what can be achieved using i3dlo’s, which would not otherwise have been possible.

 

 

The interactive3d learning objects
Sixteen i3dlo’s were developed as inputs to the workshops (and now made available via the i3dlo web portal).  One reason for the success of the workshops was that many of the i3dlo’s used were translated into Shona before being used. The translation process, undertaken in Harare by World Links, can also be a significant potential technology transfer element.

 

 

The impact
To conclude, the extent to which local folk and their leadership took up and understood the power of VR and in particular the use of i3dlo’s as a learning medium / approach has been, to put it simply, amazing.

 

For example, on two occasions, pastors, in opening meetings or workshops went to the extent of researching VR from both a linguistic and biblical perspective, and spoke particularly about its “historical” meaning. Youth recited poetry and others sang songs highlighting the impact of VR in their learning lives and that of the community.

 

A strong linkage was also established with local farming extension officers, in particular, AGRITEX, who took the lead in explaining the agricultural principles behind some of the i3dlo’s presented.

 

Of particular interest is the way in which the i3dlo’s are now leading communities to establish income-generating projects themselves, such as bee-keeping (all four centres set up through this project established at least two hives in the latter half of 2008) as a new income-generating activity for the centre and community.

 

One recent bee-keeping open day (October 2008) in Mutoko (arranged by the Mutoko VR Committee, not World Links) attracted over 200 participants. By way of encouragement, a number of participants in the workshops repeatedly asked for many more i3dlo’s in other subject areas...

 

World Summit Award
In May 2009, this project was selected by the World Summit Award Grand Jury 2009 as “one of the most outstanding examples of creative and innovative e-Content in its region. During a seven days intensive evaluation process, “Rural Life Skills Development Project (Farming)” was chosen out of a pool of 545 national best products from 157 countries to be among the Special Mentions of this year’s contest.”

 

...Our view is that it is now time to bring this powerful learning tool and methodology not just to the people of Zimbabwe but to the many people of Africa who need it and whose livelihoods can be transformed.