Today's gamers may be tomorrow's agricultural experts

If you’re a parent, you might have the opinion that video games are a waste of time. But the U.S. Department of State, educators and other experts think that gaming might actually be the best way to engage students — especially during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic — on important issues, like where the food we eat comes from and how agriculture can impact climate change. By using Farmcraft, a tweaked version of the popular game Minecraft that focuses on modern farming practices, students from around the world were able to compete in teams to see who could build the best farm. The next round of competition starts in February! Join Scienceline reporter Deborah Balthazar on a trip to the virtual farm. You can also listen to this episode of the Scienceline podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Music: Dreiton from Minecraft Volume Beta by Daniel Rosenfield (c418) | Used with Permission Farmcraft Theme by North America Scholastic Esports Federation | Used with Permission Adventures in Adventureland by Kevin Macleod | Filmmusic.io Standard License Hillbilly Swing by Kevin Macleod | Filmmusic.io Standard License Sound effects: Surprise - Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Nintendo content guidelines Minecraft Sound Attributions