Impact of farmer field schools on agricultural technology extension—evidence from greenhouse vegetable farms in China

Farmer field schools (FFSs) emerged in response to the gap left by the worldwide decline in agricultural extension services. With time, this methodology has been adapted to specific rural contexts to solve problems related to the sustainability of peasant-farming systems. In this study we draw upon empirical data regarding the peasant-farming system in the Nicaraguan highlands to evaluate whether FFSs have helped communities improve the sustainability of their systems and the food security of their residents using socioeconomic, environmental, and food and nutrition security (FNS) indicators. In order to appreciate the long-term impact, we studied three communities where FFSs were implemented eight, five, and three years ago, respectively, and we included participants and nonparticipants from each community. We found that FFSs have a gradual impact, as there are significant differences between participants and nonparticipants, and it is the community that first implemented FFSs that scores highest. The impact of FFSs is broad and long lasting for indicators related to participation, access to basic services, and conservation of natural resources. Finally, this paper provides evidence that FFSs have the potential to empower farmers; however, more attention needs to be paid to critical indicators like production costs and the use of external inputs in order to scale up their potential in the future.

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Farmer Field Schools: Unexpected Outcomes of Gendered Empowerment in Wartime Nepal

Journal of Asian Development ◽

10.5296/jad.v1i1.7549 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Annemarie Westendorp ◽

Leontine Visser

Keyword(s):

Developmental Process ◽

Farmer Field Schools ◽

Gender Empowerment ◽

Participation Of Women ◽

Management Project ◽

Field Schools ◽

Rural Nepal ◽

Unexpected Outcomes ◽

Positive Effect ◽

Gain Access

This article is the outcome of an empirical study of technical training of women and men through Farmer Field Schools in rural Nepal during the last decade. When the Farmer Field Schools started in Nepal as part of the FAO Integrated Pest Management project in 1997, this was also the year that the Maoists declared the People’s Revolution. The article describes the increased participation of women in FFS and its positive effect on food security of their families. After initial failure of FFS to include gender in its policy and activities, the article discusses the gradual acceptance of gender issues in the training. Empowerment is seen as a developmental process rather than as a product somebody or a group can gain access to or own. Different forms and objectives of empowerment of both women and men are discussed, and the unintended outcomes of FFS intervention in the context of rapid social-economic and political change during the Maoist revolution in Nepal.Keywords: Farmer Field Schools, gender, empowerment, Maoist revolution

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Insecticide use impacts of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Farmer Field Schools: Evidence from onion farmers in the Philippines

Agricultural Systems ◽

10.1016/j.agsy.2011.05.001 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 104 (7) ◽

pp. 580-587 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

J.M. Yorobe ◽

R.M. Rejesus ◽

M.D. Hammig

Keyword(s):

Integrated Pest Management ◽

Pest Management ◽

The Philippines ◽

Farmer Field Schools ◽

Field Schools

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The Process of Adopting Organic Agriculture Technology by Rice Farmers in the Sri Rejeki Farmers Group, Godean, Sleman

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/202123201039 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 232 ◽

pp. 01039

Author(s):

Indardi ◽

Nurul Anggita Rahmawati ◽

Siti Yusi Rusimah

Keyword(s):

Organic Farming ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Agricultural Technology ◽

Adoption Process ◽

Additional Information ◽

Rice Farmers ◽

Field School ◽

Evaluation Stage ◽

Field Schools ◽

Trial Phase

The research objective was to describe the adoption process in the application of organic agricultural technology. The research was conducted in Brongkol, Sidomulyo Village, Godean, Sleman. This research uses descriptive analysis, qualitative paradigm. Data were collected by indepth interviews and observations on farmers who have received guidance on organic farming technology through field schools until they are saturated with information (20 respondents). Research results, at the awareness stage respondents are familiar with information on organic farming technology some were long before, sometime before, during implementation, and there were farmers who knew some time after the field school. The interested stage, respondents seek additional information through their friends. The evaluation stage is the stage when respondents begin to seriously assess. The process of the length of evaluation conducted by farmers is quite diverse. In the trial phase, respondents applied it to their land, with various sizes. The adoption stage, generally respondents accept to apply technology, there is a small proportion who do not continue the adoption. It is important to do intensive counselling.

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Explaining what works: using causal chain analysis in systematic reviewsExplaining what works: using causal chain analysis in systematic reviews

10.51744/cmb4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Howard White ◽

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Systematic Reviews ◽

Causal Chain ◽

Farmer Field Schools ◽

What Works ◽

Chain Analysis ◽

Field Schools ◽

Global Evidence ◽

Do So

Systematic reviews summarise and synthesise the global evidence about an intervention. By incorporating causal chain analysis, a systematic review moves beyond the question of ‘does it work?’ to ‘why does it work, for whom, under what circumstances and at what cost?’. The CEDIL Methods Brief 4, ‘Using causal chain analysis in systematic reviews’, lays out what causal chain analysis is, the benefits of using it, and how to do so. The brief provides guidance on conducting a causal chain analysis by illustrating with an example of a systematic review on farmer field schools.

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Farmer Field Schools and empowerment

10.4060/i6343en ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

Farmer Field Schools ◽

Field Schools

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Human and Technical Dimensions of Potato Integrated Pest Management Using Farmer Field Schools: International Potato Center and Partners’ Experience With Potato Late Blight Management

Journal of Integrated Pest Management ◽

10.1093/jipm/pmz002 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Oscar Ortiz ◽

Rebecca Nelson ◽

Modesto Olanya ◽

Graham Thiele ◽

Ricardo Orrego ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Late Blight ◽

Integrated Pest Management ◽

Pest Management ◽

Participatory Research ◽

Potato Late Blight ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Potato Seed ◽

Farmer Field Schools ◽

International Potato ◽

Field Schools

Abstract In the 1990s, the integrated pest management (IPM) team for potato late blight (IPM-late blight) at the International Potato Center (CIP) began to address the management of this complex potato disease by combining crop protection with social and behavioral sciences. Since the early 2000s, the team has worked with research and development organizations in countries in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and South America to develop farmer discovery-based learning methods using farmer field schools (FFS). The principles of late blight control were more visible and understood by farmers when they could test options for managing late blight, particularly new potato clones with resistance to the disease, for themselves. CIP and partners have since adapted an approach combining FFS and participatory research to facilitate farmers’ access to information, knowledge, and technologies. Several manuals to implement FFS-IPM-late blight with farmers were subsequently developed. Results indicated that farmers using this approach learned new knowledge, assessed new potato clones, and changed crop management practices. Hence farmers realized a 32% average increase in potato productivity and income in Peru; similar changes occurred in other countries. The participatory research and training approach had a significant impact beyond IPM-late blight. In Peru and Bolivia, for example, more than 2,000 FFS were implemented between 2005 and 2012 on IPM for potato, other crops (coffee, cocoa, fruit trees), and livestock. In Uganda and Ethiopia, the experience expanded to potato seed management with the formation of seed cooperatives. Lessons have been drawn from this experience.

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