Farmers Field School (by Gangadhar)

FARMER FIELD SCHOOLFARMER FIELD SCHOOL

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GANGADHAR I Ph.D

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Pioneered by FAO to introduce Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in East Asian rice-based systems

Came from the Indonesian expression Sekolah Lapangan meaning just field school

First Field School was established in 1989 in Central Java

School without walls that teach basic agro-ecology and management skills through participatory ways

Evolved into Integrated Pest and Crop Management (IPCM)

Now implemented in many developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America

Background

FFS is a non-formal learner centered educational process It seeks to empower people to solve their field problems by Participation Interaction Joint decision making Self confidence & Self determination

Farmer Field SchoolFarmer Field School

FFS-Basic conceptsFFS-Basic conceptsIf I listen, I may forget ;If I see, I may remember ;If I do, I may remember ;If I discover, I may own it ;If practice, I may perfect ;

In FFS, one can see, do, discover & practice.

Hence, an extension officers should know more about this method to be efficient in his professional work

Farmer Field School: Concept And Farmer Field School: Concept And OriginOriginA farmer field school consists of 25-30 farmers who meet

every regular interval for an entire crop growing season. The focus of the FFS is on crop ecology & ICM practices

Framers work in small groups to ensure that each one’s ideas are shared to focus on the above.

In the FFS, there is acceptance of the uniqueness of each participant.

The FFS trainers play a crucial role in ensuring that the environment and all resources contribute to the farmers’ learning experiences.

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Characteristics of the Farmer Field School

Farmers as Experts

Field is the Primary Learning Material

Extension Workers as Facilitators Not Teachers

Curriculum is Integrated

Trainings follows the seasonal cycle

Regular Group Meetings

Learning materials are learner generated

Group dynamics/team building

Aims of FFSAims of FFS

To build farmers’ capacity to analyse their production systems, identify problems, test possible solutions and eventually adapt the practices most suitable to their farming system.

The knowledge acquired during the learning process enables farmers to adapt their existing technologies to be more productive, profitable, and responsive to changing conditions, or to test and adopt new technologies.

Special features of FFSSpecial features of FFSAll learning is field based & it is primary

venue for learning

FFS is group learning constantly over the

experimentation period

FFS learning promotes healthy decisions &

quality decisions

Farmers conduct their own field studies with

comparisons or treatments

Learning continue until a full crop season

(Continued)(Continued)

Facilitates Farmer-to-Farmer

communication

Field staff serve as facilitatorsFarmer Field Schools is a unique way to educate

farmersIt is an effective platform for sharing of experiences

and collectively solving agriculture related problems.

Since 1989 more than two million farmers across Asia have participated in this type of learning..

Objectives Of Farmer Field SchoolObjectives Of Farmer Field School

Grow a healthy cropHolistic approachConserve natural resources Conduct regular field observationsMake farmers competent in their own fieldSustainabilityReduce production costs

Steps in organizing Farmers Field SchoolSteps in organizing Farmers Field SchoolEnlisting cooperation of Dept. of

Agriculture staff Mobilization of farmers groupSelection of FFS participants &

collaboratorDevelopment of norms for FFSApproval FFS participants, collaborator &

developed norms in GramsabhaDevelopment of MOUPlanning for FFS

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Sending Farmers Back to School

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Field day

FFS - Structure &

CharacteristicsParticipants (Trainees)

Facilitators

Classroom

Duration

Meeting frequency

Curriculum

Session details

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FFS - Structure &


FacilitatorsClassroom

Duration

Meeting frequency

Curriculum

Session details

Field day

A community based, practical field study programme where farmers learn together using hands-on methods of discovery learning

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FFS - Structure &



Duration

Meeting frequency

Curriculum

Session details

Field day

25-30 resource poor farmers (men and/women) from a village, formed into 4 groups of equal members

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FFS - Structure &



Duration

Meeting frequency

Curriculum

Session details

Field day

Two (2) – should have undergone

season-long IPM training

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FFS - Structure &



Duration

Meeting frequency

Curriculum

Session details

Field day

Field is the primary learning aid. Field plot: about 2 acres (owned by one of the FFS participants) for laying out experiments

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FFS - Structure &



Duration

Meeting frequency

Curriculum

Session details

Field day

Season-long (varies from crop to crop)

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FFS - Structure &


Facilitators

Classroom

Duration

Meeting frequency

Curriculum

Session details

Field day

Usually one session in a week at the experimental field and later at a common place accessible to all trainees for discussion

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FFS - Structure &



Duration

Meeting frequency

Curriculum

Session details

Field day

Based on local

needs

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FFS - Structure &



Duration

Meeting frequency

Curriculum

Session details

Field day

Usually 4-5 hours (except the inaugural and field day)

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FFS - Structure &



Duration

Meeting frequency

Curriculum

Session details

Field day

Organized by trained farmers during the last session.

Objective: To demonstrate knowledge/skill gained by trainees…..

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At the FFS, farmers

carry out………….

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Simple field studies…

Insect zoos

Self health monitoring

Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA

Thus enabling FACILATORS to…

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA

Thus enabling FACILITATORS to…

To develop observation

skills

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


e.g. to learn how plants compensate for damage caused by pests

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Simple field studies

Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


to compare sprayed and unsprayed plots

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


To discover functions of organisms in the eco-system including crop pest & their natural enemies

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


To assess the level of acute poisoning due to pesticides, through understanding signs & symptoms

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


To develop team building skills, cooperation, planning, etc

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


To develop decision

making skill on crop

management

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Step 1

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


• Field Observation in small groups

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Step 2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


• Drawing

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Step 3

And understand AESA


•Discuss (in small groups)

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2-3

Step 4

And understand AESA


• Presentation

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


• In small groups, make field observations, collect & analyze data; make informed crop management decisions based on this analysis; present the decisions to all other groups for further discussions and refinement

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


- Assist them in solving their problems by themselves

- Not provide readymade solutions

- Expose them to new ideas

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Insect zoos


Group dynamics

AESA

Process: Steps 1-2

Steps 3-4

And understand AESA


- Not convince them to adopt a particular technology

- Help them to become experts in situational analysis and make informed decisions/choices

FARM SCHOOLFARM SCHOOL

“Farm schools are established in the fields

of such innovative farmers or farmer

achievers who are actually enhancing

productivity and profitability in their farms

through scientific and sustainable

agriculture”.

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FARM SCHOOL IS AFARM SCHOOL IS AFarm School is powerful instrument for participatory

research and knowledge management. It is an alternative extension tool and facilitate farmer-to-

farmer learning. It also reduces the widening gap between scientific know-

how and farmers practices. This would facilitate development of farming situation /

system specific packages. The host achiever farmer is designated as Farmer Scientist /

Farmer Professor in the respective crops / enterprises considering his area of expertise

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Farmers Field School (by Gangadhar)

Education

Transcript of Farmers Field School (by Gangadhar)