Citizen science through an AI powered serious game

Videogames and role-playing simulations have gained popularity in recent years as a method of engaging researchers, stakeholders and citizen in active knowledge co-production. Adequate farmer training is one of the pillars that guarantees food sovereignty and impacts social welfare. In Cuba, the training of farmers is insufficient and inefficient due to the low access to new technologies, methods, lack of vision and / or demotivation of new farmers despite the efforts made at various levels. This causes the transfer of knowledge with traditional methods and the adoption of new technologies to be a complex process. Play for Food! is an international cooperation project between the Universidad de Camagüey "Ignacio Agramonte Loynaz" (UCIAL), Cuba and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium that aims for innovative training and motivation of farmers through technology. This paper presents how artificial intelligence and a game environment can improve the accessibility and impact of a citizen science initiative.