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In a fast-changing world beset by unpredictable climate conditions, farmers cannot afford to ignore new technology.

面對當(dāng)下變化無常的氣候條件，農(nóng)業(yè)從業(yè)者們不得不重視起新科技的作用。

Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland have developed the online Second Life virtual world to teach sugar-cane growers about climate change, environmental protection and the latest in farming techniques.

來自南昆士蘭大學(xué)的研究者們?yōu)楦收岱N植者開發(fā)了一套"第二人生"的虛擬網(wǎng)絡(luò)系統(tǒng)，以幫助他們學(xué)習(xí)氣候變化，環(huán)境保護以及最新的農(nóng)業(yè)技術(shù)知識。

Educational videos show virtual farmers discussing new skills: for example, how to reduce water usage and fertilizer run-off.

視頻教程展示出動畫人物正在討論新的技術(shù)，例如：如果減少農(nóng)業(yè)用水和肥料流失。

"You can actually use this platform to show and demonstrate to growers a number of ways they can do things on their farm that they may not actually think about,” said Geoff Dell of the University of Southern Queensland.

南昆士蘭大學(xué)杰弗里 戴爾說：“我們可以利用這個平臺向種植者們展示一些他們在平時的工作中可能意想不到的方法。”

The idea is to foster awareness among farmers about the new technological tools available to them to improve their output, and also to increase awareness of the need to protect water resources, especially in drought-prone areas. Researchers say the farmers' response has been good.

這個項目旨在提高農(nóng)民利用新科技的意識，增加他們的產(chǎn)出。同時也能促使他們的節(jié)約用水，尤其是在那些干旱地區(qū)。研究者稱，農(nóng)民對于項目反饋良好。

"Well they are pretty receptive except that they thought that the characters we used were a bit buff (muscular),” said Helen Farley of the university.

南昆士蘭大學(xué)海倫·法利說：“對于這個項目他們的接受度很高，除了他們覺得我們使用的動畫角色有點太過強壯。”

Use of avatars

Muscles aside, sugar-cane grower Stephen Calcagno said he thinks that using avatars is a good idea. "Because it's not a real person and it stands outside, I think you tend to focus more on the information that's being put forward,” he said.

除此之外，這位農(nóng)民認(rèn)為使用動畫人物是個不錯的主意。甘蔗種植者史蒂芬·卡爾卡格諾說：“因為不是真人出演，所以我們能更加專注于片子中的農(nóng)業(yè)技術(shù)信息本身。”

But Calcagno acknowledged that it took him longer to get used to this novel approach to information-sharing than it did his son.

但是他也承認(rèn)，比起他的兒子，他花了更長時間來適應(yīng)這類情節(jié)式的科教片。

"At the start I did, I was a bit stand-offish on it. My young fellow (son) was really keen on it because anything on a PlayStation is good,” Calcagno said.

卡爾卡格諾說：“一開始的時候，我覺得這有些兒戲。我的兒子對此卻很感興趣，因為他喜歡玩視頻游戲。”

Australian researchers are working to make the program attractive to sugar-cane growers of any age.

澳大利亞的研究者正致力于開發(fā)適用于所有年齡段的甘蔗種植者的項目。

"We like to inject some humor into it so we've got some funny little animals and some, you know, kind of, in funny sugar cane farmer joke,” Farley said.

南昆士蘭大學(xué)海倫·法利說：“我們會加入一些幽默的元素，比如有些有趣的動物，和一些與甘蔗種植有關(guān)的玩笑。”

Researchers said the pilot program has been so successful that they are now extending it to include 400 sugar-cane growers in Australia.

研究者稱項目的試行非常成功，他們正計劃在全澳州內(nèi)將推廣人群擴大到400名。

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