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Kassim the Game: in the virtual shoes of a greenhouse grower

Published on
September 12, 2024

How do you grow tomatoes or cucumbers in a greenhouse as efficiently and energy-efficiently as possible? That’s the key question in Kassim the Game. This application tool was developed by Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and has been used in higher education for several years. However, for a limited period from 10 September, Kassim will also be available as a serious game for a wider audience. The person who achieves the highest yield and the lowest costs wins the game. “It's a fun way to learn about high-end greenhouse cultivation.”

You fill in some numbers, click continue and then check your crop two weeks later. You continue doing that until the end of the growing season. And that’s all there is to Kassim the Game , says Gert-Jan Swinkels, research associate in Greenhouse Climate and Energy at WUR. “But if you want to score a lot of points, you do need to have some idea of what you’re doing. How many energy screens do you place in the greenhouse? Will you be using lighting, and if so, what kind of lamp and at what intensity? And what is the optimal temperature and humidity, given the costs of natural gas and electricity? To help players, each box to be filled in has an accompanying text with some notes.”

Managing a greenhouse efficiently

Kassim the Game has been used in higher education for several years, says Swinkels. “It’s a fun and interactive tool to teach students how to grow a crop in a greenhouse in an energy-efficient way. As part of the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge, we are now making the game available to the public so that everyone can start testing their growing skills. Each participant works under the same conditions, such as the outdoor climate. You make the difference by choosing, for example, the temperature setting, humidity and crop management, such as the number of stems per plant and fruits per cluster. Eventually, this produces a total score, an average of the yield and costs you incur.”

Model behind Kassim

Kassim the Game runs on Kaspro, a simulation model developed at WUR in the 1990s. Swinkels: “Kaspro simulates the climate in a high-end horticultural greenhouse and the associated energy consumption. New scientific insights, technological developments and knowledge from practice enable us to continuously update and improve Kaspro. In recent years, for example, there has been a lot of attention for energy-efficient dehumidification and alternative energy sources. Apart from being used for Kassim the Game, the model is also used in our research projects and by companies in greenhouse horticulture. In addition, the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge teams used Kaspro to develop their algorithm.”

Fun and educational game

Kassim the Game will be available to players for four weeks from 10 September. At the end of that period, the person with the highest score in the ranking wins the game. Swinkels: “Besides eternal glory, the winner will receive a small token. But it’s mainly for fun and to learn from it. The nice thing is that you get a very detailed overview showing the effects of your choices and the costs. You can then compare them to the winner, unless that’s you, of course. And if you are a grower, you can then apply the lessons learned in practice.”