Students in Georgia are invited to join Georgia NASEF Farmcraft® 2024, a free, engaging STEAM-based program that teaches the challenges faced by agricultural producers and distributors in Georgia and around the world in a custom Minecraft game, supported by lesson plans and online engagement with teachers and subject experts. The competition is open to teams in grades 3-12.

Farmcraft® is an immersive experience that uses Minecraft Education Edition to mirror the process of farming and taking food to market and consumers. The 2024 program is focused on the impact of digital technology on agricultural productivity, asking the question “How do you grow more with less?” Many of the agricultural productivity increases in the last few decades have directly resulted from the adaptation and adoption of digital technologies to farming. 

"Participants will learn about new technologies and approaches that Georgia farmers use to increase how much they grow, improve how they grow it, and have more options for where they can grow it," says GPB VP of Education Laura Evans. "We are fortunate to have amazing Georgia agricultural partners contributing to this program, engaging with students on livestreams and answering their questions." 

This free program is presented to youth around the world by the U.S. Department of State and the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF); the custom Farmcraft world is developed by Cleverlike Studios.

"Farmcraft® is a wonderful tool to help students learn about agriculture; it provides an immersive experience that really helps them grasp the impact of farmers’ decisions and the tools and technology they use." says NASEF Chief Advancement Officer Claire LeBeaux, "By participating in challenges that are directly connected to the crops and commerce of Georgia, youth who participate in this regional Farmcraft event will not only have a lot of fun building teams and competing, they will develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and successes of the local agriculture market."

Educators are provided with lesson plans that reinforce the learning objectives of Farmcraft® and can be integrated into educational curriculum throughout the year. Minecraft Education Edition is also provided free to all participants throughout the course of the program.

"As an AgSTEM educator, I am extremely excited how this program can be utilized by so many different disciplines to ignite passion for Georgia's number one industry!" says Carrie Settles Livers, teacher at Brookwood High School in Gwinnett County, "The program teaches students about the significance of traditional agriculture while integrating innovative technological practices to problem-solve and enhance productivity. This tangible experience gives students an opportunity for growth, and potentially to have an impact on food security and sustainability. Also, I have seen how easy it is to implement into the classroom, even if you are unfamiliar with the game Minecraft!"

Farmcraft 2024 Details and Resources

  • Registration is now open at https://www.gpb.org/education/georgia-farmcraft; registration deadline is April 5, 2024.
  • Feb. 6 at 2pm ET | Livestream kickoff with program details. Subscribe to GPB Education YouTube channel for livestream updates. 
  • Feb. 6 – Mar. 12, 2024 | Pre-season: within the standard Minecraft game, participants use their creativity to complete three Georgia-related challenges related to forestry, vertical farming and aquaponics, and regenerative agriculture. 
  • Mar. 11 – Apr. 19, 2024 | Regular season: participants are granted access to the specialized Farmcraft world. Through the regular season, participants will be presented with three challenges that they must complete to be eligible for awards at the end of the program.
  • Through the pre-season and regular season, GPB and NASEF will host regular livestreams where participants have a chance to learn from agriculture experts. 
  • Participants who choose to enter the Georgia competition must submit gameplay scores by April 19, 2024. A Georgia awards livestream will be held on May 2, 2024 in collaboration with Skillshot Media, with winners receiving gift cards.  

About the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF)

The Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) is on a mission to provide opportunities for all students to use esports as a platform to acquire STEM/STEAM-based skills and critical communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills needed to thrive in work and in life. NASEF operates under the umbrella of the World Wide Scholastic Esports Foundation (WWSEF). Find NASEF at NASEF.org and on Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.