Spotlight on DEEGRO.w: A Gamification Solution for Climate Change

GIZ fosters innovation and intrapreneurship among its employees to explore and implement innovative ideas for solving global issues. In line with this mission, the GIZ Innovation Fund was established in 2017. This year, the fund's winner (Audience vote category) was the dedicated team behind DEEGRO.w (Dynamic Environmental Engagement and Gamification for Resource Optimisation) who presented their innovative gamification solution to tackle climate change and global warming. 

Ahmad Tasneem, a passionate advocate for impactful change and a technical advisor working with GIZ Pakistan, was part of the team that developed DEEGRO.w. With a master's degree in business administration, specialising in project management and agile business practices, and nearly eight years of experience in international cooperation and development across various sectors, he brings valuable expertise to the table. 

We recently sat down with Ahmad to delve deeper into the intrapreneurship programme at GIZ and to learn more about the innovative gamification solution his team has developed to address climate change and global warming. 

What led you to join Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)?  

My role has centred on providing technical advisory services and leading projects aimed at advancing the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This journey brought me to GIZ, where my passion for sustainable development aligns perfectly with my expertise. As an international development technical advisor, I work for the global project ‘FABRIC Asia’, implemented by GIZ. We support the textile industry across several Asian countries to become more sustainable. Here, I continue to dedicate myself to global environmental protection and contribute to achieving the SDGs on a broader scale.  

What is the concept of intrapreneurship at GIZ and how the Innovation Fund supports it?   

Intrapreneurship cultivates innovation and entrepreneurial drive among employees, fostering a culture of creativity and initiative innovation within the organisation. The GIZ Innovation Fund, launched in 2017, anchors this approach by offering a platform for employees worldwide to explore and implement innovative ideas. 

The Fund serves as GIZ's internal entrepreneurship programme, empowering employees to develop, scale and implement innovative solutions for products, services, and business models. It facilitates intrapreneurship by: 

• Providing Space for Experimentation: Offering resources and support for employees to experiment with their ideas. 
• Capacity-building: Investing in training employees in human-centred design, lean start-up, and agile methodologies. 
• Encouraging Collaboration: Promoting cross-sectoral collaboration and fostering new external partnerships. 

By supporting employees in pursuing innovative projects, the GIZ Innovation Fund plays a pivotal role in driving positive change and enhancing the impact of GIZ's initiatives. 

Can you elaborate on the innovative gamification solution, DEEGRO.w, that your team has developed to address climate change and global warming? How does it work, and what has the impact been? 

My team has developed an innovative gamification solution called DEEGRO.w (Dynamic Environmental Engagement and Gamification for Resource Optimisation) to address climate change and global warming by focusing on preserving natural resources and promoting sustainable land management practices. 

DEEGRO.w is a mobile game that simulates a village and its ecosystems, bringing together stakeholders such as farmers, village chiefs, local authorities and companies. Players engage in various activities like agriculture, husbandry and mining, making decisions that impact the landscape positively or negatively. The game mirrors real-life situations, with seasons and unexpected events like flooding, droughts, and storms affecting players' daily activities. 

One of the key features of DEEGRO.w is role-playing, which fosters understanding of each stakeholder's perspective and needs. Through gameplay, users gain firsthand experience of the consequences of their actions on the environment and the community. At the end of the game, a grid summarising the results is generated to facilitate group discussion, encouraging collaborative solutions. 

DEEGRO.w blends entertainment with education, aiming to raise environmental awareness and promote sustainable practices. By simulating real-life scenarios and promoting collaboration among stakeholders, the game empowers users to contribute to ecosystem restoration and responsible natural resource management. 

We envision DEEGRO.w making a significant impact by fostering behavioural change, preventing conflicts over natural resources, and promoting equitable land use practices, ultimately contributing to the fight against climate change and global warming. 

What inspired the idea behind your innovation, and what were some of the challenges you encountered during the development process? 

The inspiration behind our innovation, DEEGRO.w, stemmed from our collective expertise and passion for environmental conservation. We recognised the urgent need to address issues like deforestation and soil fertility loss, especially considering their significant impact on climate change. Additionally, we observed a lack of awareness and motivation among the global population to actively contribute to mitigating these environmental challenges. 

During the development process, we encountered several challenges. One major challenge was designing a game that effectively simulated real-life scenarios while remaining engaging and informative. We had to strike a balance between providing an enjoyable gaming experience and conveying meaningful environmental messages. 

Another major challenge we encountered during game development was the lack of sufficient funds. Crafting a high-quality game requires significant financial investment, and securing adequate funding proved to be quite challenging. Fortunately, the GIZ ProFEC project, dedicated to forest and environmental conservation in Cameroon, provided us with financial assistance. Their support was invaluable in overcoming the financial barriers and allowing us to continue advancing our project. 

Despite these challenges, our team remained dedicated to our vision of creating a gamification platform that inspires users to collaborate towards sustainable land use practices.  

How has collaboration within your diverse team contributed to the success of your project? What lessons have you learned from working together on this initiative? 

Collaboration within our diverse team, comprising members from Cameroon, Spain, and Pakistan, has been integral to the success of our project. Each team member brought unique expertise and perspectives to the table, enriching our project with diverse insights and approaches. Our varied backgrounds in forest protection, digitalisation, agriculture, and sustainable textiles allowed us to tackle multifaceted environmental challenges from different angles. This diversity fostered creativity and innovation, enabling us to develop a holistic and impactful solution. 

While working together, we learned a lot of important things. We discovered the power of inclusive decision-making and open communication. We also learned that when things get tough, it's important to be strong and flexible. Even when we felt a little demotivated or faced challenges, we always tried to find creative solutions for them. This one time, when one of our team members lost her spouse in a tragic accident, it deeply saddened all of us, and we took some time apart to cope with the loss. 

By embracing diversity, fostering open communication, and staying resilient in the face of challenges, we have not only achieved our project goals but also gained valuable insights and experiences that will continue to help us in our future work. 

With the support from Germany, we are addressing climate change head-on. Climate change and environmental degradation present significant challenges worldwide. To combat these issues, we recognise the need for innovative solutions to mitigate their adverse effects and promote sustainability.