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Agroecology Board Game

I hated board games — so I made one as a thank-you gift.

A team-based board game that teaches agroecology through collaboration — designed for the UF Agroecology Lab as a thank-you to the mentors and colleagues who taught me a whole new field.

tabletop · cooperative · AI-assisted design · 2025
The finished agroecology board game
What it is
Cooperative board game
Kind of work
Game design, illustration, systems
Status
● made · 2025
Made for
The UF Agroecology Lab
the story

A gift to say thank you.

When I joined the Agroecology Lab, I knew nothing about agroecology. My background is in industrial design, so while I had a farm and some concepts sounded familiar, the scientific approach was completely new — and I was the only non-scientist in the room. The lab spoke a different language, but the people were endlessly patient. They taught me, answered my endless questions, and helped me connect agroecology and design.

As my time there ended, I wanted to leave something meaningful. The lab loved playing board games on Friday lunch breaks — I, on the other hand, hated them; I never grew up playing games. But I knew how much my labmates enjoyed them, so I made one for them. It was my way of saying thank you to my mentors and colleagues, especially Dr. Zack Brym.

how it plays

You don't play a farmer. You play a whole community.

The game teaches sustainable farming through hands-on decision-making. But unlike a typical farming sim, players each take a different role in an agricultural community — every one with its own responsibilities and perspective, reinforcing that agroecology is a collective effort, not an individual one.

Farmer Community Member Volunteer Extension Agent Scientist …and more
The game's role characters — each representing a different part of an agroecological system
the characters — each a key role in fostering sustainability and teamwork
Systems thinking, on a table It's not just about growing food — it's about the relationships between every element in an agroecosystem. Each token is a reminder that every decision, big or small, affects the whole system.
Win together, or lose together It's team-based: no one competes. Players strategize and make decisions that benefit the whole system — just like real agroecology, where working with nature leads to resilience.
the pieces
A closer look at the game's cards
cards — real decisions agroecologists face
Tokens representing different agroecological elements
tokens — every decision affects the whole system
The agroecology game set up and ready to play
set up — collaborate to build a resilient farm
from AI skeptic to game designer

I was completely against AI. Then I actually tried it.

A co-worker used to talk about AI constantly, and I was convinced it was unnecessary — even harmful. After he left, I got curious, dug in on my own, and tried ChatGPT. To my surprise, it became invaluable: helping me refine ideas, organize mechanics, and build a structure that made sense. There's no way I could have made this game alone, at least not the way I envisioned it.
more than a game

A bridge between design and agroecology.

Ultimately this was more than a game — it was a personal journey. It reflected my growth at the lab, my willingness to step into unfamiliar spaces, and my shift from being skeptical of AI to embracing it as a creative tool. What started as a simple thank-you gift became a bridge between design and agroecology, between me and my labmates, and between traditional knowledge and modern technology.

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