PAU Scholar Turns Ludo Into Learning Tool For Farmers

Ludhiana: 

In a bid to make agricultural education more engaging, a PhD scholar at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has developed innovative outreach tools, including a farmer-friendly version of the popular board game, Ludo. The idea is simple yet impactful teach farmers best practices through play.

To make agricultural education more engaging and easy to understand, a PhD scholar from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has transformed the popular board game Ludo into an innovative learning tool for farmers.

The initiative has been developed by Sunnyrudh Singh, a PAU alumnus who completed his MSc in Agriculture and is currently pursuing a PhD. His doctoral research focuses on evaluating how edutainment-based tools can improve farmers’ understanding of environmental and sustainable farming practices.

As part of his research, Singh designed a customised Ludo game that communicates essential farming do’s and don’ts in an interactive manner. The game can be adapted to spread awareness on key agricultural topics such as cotton cultivation, integrated pest management, water conservation, and direct sowing techniques.

In addition to the board game, Singh has also created musical jingles, educational songs, and an e-learning module to promote soil and water conservation. These learning resources are available in five languages Punjabi, Hindi, English, Spanish, and Italian making them accessible to a wider and even international audience.

His innovative work has received international recognition, leading to an invitation from California State University, Fresno, where he will engage with farmers and K-12 students studying agriculture. Singh believes that regions like Punjab and California face similar agricultural challenges, including groundwater depletion and excessive pesticide use, making these tools relevant in both contexts.

To assess the effectiveness of his approach, Singh plans to measure the impact of these edutainment tools among farmers in Punjab, other Indian states, and California, and further refine them based on feedback.

One of his Punjabi jingles delivers a strong conservation message, advising farmers not to waste water and warning of long-term consequences if scientific advice is ignored.

According to Anil Kumar Sharma, Associate Director at PAU’s Communication Centre and Singh’s research guide, the project impressed a visiting delegation from California State University. He noted that Singh’s creative approach adds a new dimension to PAU’s extension activities, helping scientific messages reach farmers in a simple and engaging way.

The cardboard version of the Ludo game has already received copyright protection from the Government of India, and a mobile app version is also available. Singh explains that learning through play helps farmers absorb information more effectively, as repetition during gameplay reinforces key messages better than traditional advisories.

As he prepares for his upcoming visit to California, Singh hopes his edutainment-based tools will help bridge global gaps in agricultural awareness and demonstrate that learning can be both effective and enjoyable.