Farming Connect has launched a recruitment campaign for a new group which will develop the concept of using games to facilitate farm succession.
In the last twelve months, Farming Connect has supported 183 farming families in Wales on this issue. Usually spanning two or more generations, farmers have been supported and encouraged to plan early for a tax-efficient and smooth transfer of assets to the next generation – the generation within whose hands the future of sustainable Welsh farm businesses lies.
Farming Connect hosted a mini games café at the Royal Welsh Show, with the opportunity for farmers to share their ideas through co-designing a game.
Mentera (the new name for Menter a Busnes) which delivers Farming Connect on behalf of the Welsh Government, explored the potential to add to its current succession support package of facilitated family discussions, mentoring, legal and financial advice with an exciting and innovative new component – a ‘succession game’ designed to get the whole family talking and planning ahead.
Farming Connect Agrisgôp leader Jacqui Banks launched the campaign to recruit members for her newest group, which will be tasked with researching and developing the concept for the new collaborative game. Agrisgôp is Farming Connect’s popular personal development programme that uses pioneering ‘action learning’ methods to help farm businesses adapt and thrive.
Jacqui was joined by two internationally recognised game designers, Matteo Manapace and Hwa Young Jung, who specialise in producing both physical and online games which address complex social issues. This autumn they will be working with Jacqui’s newest Agrisgôp members through a series of face-to-face and online meetings to develop the concept of ‘gamifying’ the serious topic of succession planning.
“Succession planning is a topic many families fail to address before there are serious implications for both family and farm,” said Jacqui.
“These two designers have a track record of developing collaborative games including Matteo’s award-winning ‘Daybreak’, which gives players the opportunity to gain a different perspective on climate change.
“There are often family discussions around farm kitchen tables, which is where a lot of quite important but informal family chats take place, so what better than a game to get people talking.”
If this new game goes to plan, Farming Connect’s latest innovation could be a game changer for many more farming families in Wales.
For more information on joining Agrisgôp, email Jacqui.banks@mentera.cymru or call 07961958806.
