ORLANDO, FLORIDA—Agriculture's story is a bore for most Americans. Food is so plentiful here, it's taken for granted. But sprinkle a little Disney magic, and what was a boring subject becomes exciting.

That's what the World Bank discovered when it undertook a unique collaboration with Walt Disney World's Epcot Center in Florida last spring. The experience was such a success that the World Bank contracted AGCOM International to produce a public awareness video on the event.

The World Bank brought to Disney's Epcot Center a cadre of agricultural scientists from Asia, Africa, Latin America and North America. Using Disney magic to create eye-catching displays representing their respective parts of the world, these "communicators" found themselves surrounded by Epcot visitors anxious to learn more about global food production.

"When it comes to telling the story of agriculture," said communicator Yemi Adeleye of Nigeria's International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, "we learned that we have to speak in terms the guests understand. We have to make our message as audience friendly as possible."

The World Bank helps support Adeleye's institution, and 15 others like it around the world, members of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. Each institution does basic agricultural research to help poor farmers better feed themselves and their families without damaging the environment.

At the Latin America display, colorful baskets of local fruit and vegetables adorned a small hacienda reflecting regional architecture. Communicators found themselves telling agriculture's story to a range of visitors from the very young to the very old.

"They are very interested to learn, regardless of their age, how we are working to grow more food, and better food throughout Latin America," said Sergio Gomez of the International Center for the Improvement of Corn and Wheat in Mexico. The sparkling eyes of a young guest listening to the presentation was proof Gomez wasn't exaggerating.

Not to be left out, the North America display also drew considerable interest from young people. Their response to the presentations, particularly to the "hands-on" segments, was as stimulating for the communicators as for those in the audience.

"Oh, I can't stop grinning," beamed communicator Chris Shade with the Rodale Institute, "especially when the kids get involved with the earth worms we're raising here in our compost beds. They really get into it…get excited about learning, and about agriculture. It's great!"

The World Bank-Disney collaboration was documented in a video by AGCOM International Senior Producer, Larry Klaas. It is being distributed by the World Bank, and Disney to interested parties. A video news release on the project was recently broadcast to international audiences on both the Ag-Day and Channel Earth television networks.

By Larry Klaas, AGCOM International