New Salinity Farm Management Game: "Risky Salty Business"
Steven
Schilizzi, Ross Kingwell, Sally Marsh, David Pannell
Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Western
Australia
We have developed a version of the successful "Risky Business" farm management game, incorporating an increasing dryland salinity problem. Workshops based around the game are currently being run with extension agents and researchers in rural Western Australia in order to help them better appreciate salinity from the farmer's perspective. A very successful workshop was held in Geraldton, and more are planned for Merredin, Albany and Moora. (It has previously been run several times with undergraduate students). We also plan to test the game for suitability for use with groups of farmers.
The game allows for salinity abatement through tree plantings. It can be played in two versions, one with and one without cross-boundary externalities in terms of salinity encroachment. In both games, players must struggle and make plans with random seasons and prices, while trying to avert the onset or the spread of salinity by withholding land from traditional agricultural crops and pastures and instead planting unprofitable trees. In the "externalities" version, players are organised into catchment groups, where the decisions of each player can affect the outcomes of all the other players in the catchment. Both games are competitive, but the externalities one includes co-operation incentives for players in the same catchment. Run successfully with students, both versions are soon to be run with professionals.
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