Transcript
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 &
CharacteristicsParticipants (Trainees)
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 &
CharacteristicsParticipants (Trainees)
FacilitatorsClassroom
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 &
CharacteristicsParticipants (Trainees)
FacilitatorsClassroom
Duration
Meeting frequency
Curriculum
Session details
Field day
Two (2) – should have undergone
season-long IPM training
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FFS - Structure &
CharacteristicsParticipants (Trainees)
FacilitatorsClassroom
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 &
CharacteristicsParticipants (Trainees)
FacilitatorsClassroom
Duration
Meeting frequency
Curriculum
Session details
Field day
Season-long (varies from crop to crop)
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FFS - Structure &
CharacteristicsParticipants (Trainees)
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 &
CharacteristicsParticipants (Trainees)
FacilitatorsClassroom
Duration
Meeting frequency
Curriculum
Session details
Field day
Based on local
needs
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FFS - Structure &
CharacteristicsParticipants (Trainees)
FacilitatorsClassroom
Duration
Meeting frequency
Curriculum
Session details
Field day
Usually 4-5 hours (except the inaugural and field day)
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FFS - Structure &
CharacteristicsParticipants (Trainees)
FacilitatorsClassroom
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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Simple field studies…
Insect zoos
Self health monitoring
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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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…
e.g. to learn how plants compensate for damage caused by pests
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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…
to compare sprayed and unsprayed plots
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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…
To discover functions of organisms in the eco-system including crop pest & their natural enemies
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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…
To assess the level of acute poisoning due to pesticides, through understanding signs & symptoms
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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…
To develop team building skills, cooperation, planning, etc
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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…
To develop decision
making skill on crop
management
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Simple field studies
Insect zoos
Self health monitoring
Group dynamics
AESA
Process: Step 1
Steps 3-4
And understand AESA
Thus enabling FACILATORS to…
• Field Observation in small groups
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Simple field studies
Insect zoos
Self health monitoring
Group dynamics
AESA
Process: Step 2
Steps 3-4
And understand AESA
Thus enabling FACILATORS to…
• Drawing
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Simple field studies
Insect zoos
Self health monitoring
Group dynamics
AESA
Process: Steps 1-2
Step 3
And understand AESA
Thus enabling FACILATORS to…
•Discuss (in small groups)
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Simple field studies
Insect zoos
Self health monitoring
Group dynamics
AESA
Process: Steps 1-2-3
Step 4
And understand AESA
Thus enabling FACILATORS to…
• Presentation
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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…
• 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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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…
- Assist them in solving their problems by themselves
- Not provide readymade solutions
- Expose them to new ideas
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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…
- 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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