Participatory Multi-agent Systems Modeling for Collective Watershed Management: The Use of Role Playing Game

Scarce farm land and water resources in the highland watersheds of northern Thailand coupled with multiple users have led to conflicts among stakeholders who play important roles in the system dynamics. Integrating companion modeling and multi-agent systems (MAS) can facilitate adaptive learning processes to result in a decentralized collective management strategy that meets the balanced needs of all parties. However, this requires innovative methods and tools, and coordination from all stakeholders involved in the process. This paper presents the results of a preliminary study on conducting role-playing games (RPG) in order to verify the researcher’s perceptions of an interested highland watershed, where a human-/agroecosystem is located within the multi-layered politics of resource management. Two RPG’s were conducted with interested stakeholders using simplified rules and environment. Performing the role allowed players to improve knowledge and understanding of both space-and-time-dynamic processes of the whole system. Information obtained from the games supplemented with interviews mutually improved earlier knowledge of researcher and resulted in the “post-perception” which will be used in further participatory MAS modeling processes.