Helvetas Social E-Game
Rice for People & Planet
Let's start
Frank Eyhorn/Helvetas
Background
This game is fictional but is based on true facts.
Frank Eyhorn/Helvetas

This social e-game is a role-playing game. Players must make decisions in the context of situations that typically occur in projects managed jointly by development organizations and private sector actors. The situations are intended to generate discussion. There are no right or wrong decisions. However, every choice you make has consequences for the social, environmental, economic, and institutional sustainability of your project.

Role &
Project Aim
You are part of the steering committee for the Rice for People & Planet project.
Simon B. Opladen/Helvetas
The aim of the project is:

The steering committee is made up of representatives of transnational companies, including the firm “Plenty Food”, Swiss non-governmental organizations (NGOs) including the development organization “Paradise Now”, and representatives of the farmers as well as the project donors.

Game Rules
During the game you will have to make five decisions. Each decision has an impact on your points.
Simon B. Opladen/Helvetas
Your points change every time you take a decision that impacts the following sustainability areas:
Game Goal
The goal is to accumulate as many points as possible, evenly distributed across the four sustainability areas. Uneven distribution will result in deductions to the final total score.
Miniloc/mauritius images
Your starting points are:
Environmental points 30
Social points 30
Economic points 30
Governance points 30
Your
Team Name
Simon B. Opladen/Helvetas
Enter your name or the name of your team:
Decision 01
Which Certification?
You plan the project in such a way that the farmers acquire new knowledge about water-saving rice cultivation during the training. Now you need to decide which certification standards you will use:
Urs Flueeler/Keystone
Decision 01
Areas Previous Result Current
Environmental sustainability
Social sustainability
Economic sustainability
Institutional sustainability
Decision 02
Water Distribution
Water distribution systems in the fields and maintenance of the irrigation infrastructure work poorly. Farmers complain but are powerless to make improvements, as this is the responsibility of the provincial authorities. What to do?
Faris Fitrianto/Shutterstock
Decision 02
Areas Previous Result Current
Environmental sustainability
Social sustainability
Economic sustainability
Institutional sustainability
Decision 03
Company Reputation
During project implementation the company “Plenty Food” is publicly criticized for polluting water in another country, harming people’s health. What to do?
kosmos111/Shutterstock
Decision 03
Areas Previous Result Current
Environmental sustainability
Social sustainability
Economic sustainability
Institutional sustainability
Decision 04
NGO Capacity
The Swiss NGO “Paradise Now”, a member of the steering committee, has complicated internal procedures. Their reporting mechanisms are exasperating, and each step takes a long time. How do you act?
Glenn Carstens Peters/Unsplash
Decision 04
Areas Previous Result Current
Environmental sustainability
Social sustainability
Economic sustainability
Institutional sustainability
Decision 05
Poor Sales
Despite your efforts, sales in Switzerland are stagnating. You were too optimistic about demand, did not advertise enough, and underestimated price sensitivities resulting from the invasion of Ukraine. What’s your solution?
Michael Edwards/Dreamstime
Decision 05
Areas Previous Result Current
Environmental sustainability
Social sustainability
Economic sustainability
Institutional sustainability
Final Score
Patrick Rohr/Helvetas
The project comes to an end after six years. Your result:
 Environmental points
Social points
Economic points
Governance points

Your final score after assessing the balance of the distribution of points within the four sustainability areas is:

Scoreboard refresh  
Thanks for helping
to improve the world!
Concept: Nadja R. Buser, Peter Schmidt
Support: D. Bexte, S. Strässle, S. Zopfi, A. Peterhans
Game design: Absolutist, Ukraine 2022
Play again
Scoreboard
Suzanne Tucker/Shutterstock