CGIAR / Gates Foundation: Gamified Psychometric Assessment Pilot
A pioneering psychometric assessment using AAA-quality 3D agricultural simulation to predict real-world professional performance.
The Challenge
Africa confronts an emerging agricultural crisis: the median age of farmers in Kenya exceeds 60 years, while urban-educated youth demonstrate minimal interest in returning to family farming. Agricultural organizations required innovative strategies to engage the next generation of farmers and—critically—to identify extension agents who would excel in high-autonomy roles demanding intrinsic motivation and strategic thinking. Traditional screening methods proved costly and unreliable.
Our Approach
Usiku Games partnered with CGIAR on a multi-phase engagement under the Enabling Market Intelligence and Building Engagement (EMBE) project.
Phase One: Hailr Gamified Engagement Platform
Phase One deployed Hailr, a gamified engagement platform, to Farmer Facing Organizations (FFOs) to test whether gamification could enhance operational efficiency.
Phase Two: Shamba Showdown Psychometric Assessment
Phase Two introduced Shamba Showdown, a high-fidelity 3D agricultural simulation built in Unreal Engine 5 and delivered via cloud-based Pixel Streaming, delivering AAA-quality graphics on standard mobile devices. The simulation encompasses the entire agricultural value chain—requiring players to manage crop selection, soil health, pest management, financial budgeting, and market timing against real-world variables including weather patterns and price fluctuations.
The research hypothesis proposes that gameplay telemetry could predict real-world professional performance among extension agents. This represents a novel application of gaming as a psychometric assessment tool with scientific validation through RCT methodology.
Outcomes (Hailr Pilot – Midpoint Results)
- Higher initial deposits and top-ups, indicating increased farmer trust
- Increased agent engagement through gamified rewards
- Seed Sasa proactively requested extending the Hailr platform beyond the initial Gates-funded period
Shamba Showdown Psychometric Assessment Innovation
The pilot (December 2025 – February 2026) validates whether in-game behavior correlates with actual sales performance. Telemetry tracks:
- Risk Aversion and Management
- Strategic Planning
- Financial Literacy
- Value Chain Understanding
- Ethical Reliability
Results will be correlated against actual field performance data in March 2026.
Why This Matters
No competing impact gaming studio has undertaken a scientific RCT to validate gaming as a psychometric tool. This positions Usiku Games as a pioneer in games-based assessment.