Farmers Business Game

Farmers Business Game is a highly interactive training for smallholder farmers, emerging farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs who want to improve their skills for a successful and sustainable farm management.

Objectives of the interactive training

Obtain knowledge of crop selection and different cropping systems.
Gain an understanding of sales and customer relationship management.
Define, manage and analyze financial statements to increase bankability and thereby secure future financing options.
Make a reasoned planning of costs and investments.
Learn about the advantages of a long-term business planning.
Become familiar with options to mitigate risks related to harvesting, uncertainties and seasonality.
Understand possibilities for risk mitigation through savings, loan products or insurances.

The experience-based learning approach

The overall objective of the Farmers Business Game is to promote financial literacy and raise awareness for the importance of financial planning, applying an experience-based approach.

The learning process is characterized by four phases:

The participants are divided into small groups, each group assumes the leadership of a farm, takes management decisions and gains an insight into internal and external factors that influence the performance of their agricultural business (Do).
The participants receive a feedback and reflect their progress within the simulation as well as their own actions (Reflect).
The participants apply their newly acquired knowledge during the training (Apply).
In transfer sessions, the simulation encourages the participants to implement their newly acquired skills in their business practice (Implement).

Lessons learned

Increase financial and agricultural knowledge about managing a farm by selecting crops and livestock while taking into consideration harvesting times and arising costs.

Raise the understanding of financial statements and long-term planning by applying financial tools like cash flow statement, profit and loss statement and a balance sheet.
Understand the role of different business stakeholders like customers, neighboring farmers, financial institutions and staff on the farm.
React to unexpected events and risks, take precautions against them and plan necessary measures, both in the financial and the non-financial sphere.
Together with experienced trainers, complex situations are broken down, decision options and best solutions are actively discussed in groups and set against real business practice.

Business Games: A core module of knowledge transfer in financial institutions and universities

Vast demand and strong experience in many countries around the world as well as the positive feedback from highly satisfied participants are convincing proof of the success and the added value of the Business Games.

The brochure of the Farmers Business Game can be accessed here