One of the emerging lessons from COVID-19 is that we may not always be able to relay information through in-person meetings and trainings. That is one of the reasons the Peanut Innovation Lab is working to create animations to relay important production information, the type of information smallholder farmers might receive through in-person training with extension specialists.
The lab is in the early stages of creating a short series of animations with SAWBO (Scientific Animations Without Borders), a program based at Michigan State University, which transforms extension information on relevant topics such as agriculture, disease and women’s empowerment. The program creates 2D and 3D animations, and then overlays voices in a variety of languages from around the world.
As the lab investigated the advantages of working with SAWBO, Assistant Director Jamie Rhoads was able to help facilitate translation of an animation addressing COVID-19 issues. Rhoads, who worked in Haiti for eight years before coming to the innovation lab, speaks Haitian creole and could advise SAWBO on adapting the cornavirus animation.
All SAWBO animations are made freely available to anyone wishing to use them for educational purposes. Animations can be downloaded from a diversity of SAWBO channels and used on computers, tablets, cell phones, TVs, and overhead projection systems.