Institutionalizing farmer field schools
Institutionalizing farmer field schools

Author: Neza, B.N., Higiro, J., Mwangi, L.W., Ochatum, N.

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.

Published: 2021-10-28

Total Pages: 58

ISBN-13: 9251350949

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Investing in farmers – or agriculture human capital – is crucial to addressing challenges in our agri-food systems. A global study carried out by the FAO Investment Centre and the International Food Policy Research Institute, with support from the CGIAR Research Programme on Policies, Institutions and Markets and the FAO Research and Extension Unit, looks at agriculture human capital investments, from trends to promising initiatives. One of the nine featured case studies is the Twigire Muhinzi National Extension System in Rwanda. Twigire Muhinzi is the government’s homegrown, decentralized and farmer-oriented national system based on two complementary types of farmer-to-farmer extension approaches: farmer promoters and farmer field schools. The model showcases how an extension approach can improve farmer skills, knowledge and empowerment and thus lead to enhanced adoption of relevant technologies and practices. In Rwanda, mainstreaming the farmer field school approach into the national extension system along with financial support from public-private partnerships contributed to its scaling up. This publication is part of the Country Investment Highlights series under the FAO Investment Centre's Knowledge for Investment (K4I) programme.

Farmers taking the lead: thirty years of farmer field schools
Farmers taking the lead: thirty years of farmer field schools

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.

Published: 2019-06-01

Total Pages: 72

ISBN-13: 9251315698

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The Farmer Field School (FFS) has been one of the most successful approaches developed and promoted by FAO over the past three decades, empowering farmers to become better decision makers in their own farming systems. Initiated by FAO in 1989, and subsequently adopted by many other organizations and institutions, the FFS programs constitute one of the most important “results of the collective action of millions of small-scale farmers” that FAO has supported. FFS is an interactive and participatory learning by doing approach that offers farmers, pastoralists, fisherfolks, foresters and their communities a place where they can learn from each other,share experiences, co-create knowledge and try new ways of doing. Participants enhance their understanding of agro-ecosystems, resulting in production systems that are more resilient and optimize the use of available resources. FFS aims to improve farmers’ livelihoods and recognize their role as innovators and guardians of natural environments. FFS has attained plenty of outstanding achievements in all aspects of agriculture and rural development.

Farmer Field School Guidance Document
Farmer Field School Guidance Document

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.

Published: 2018-06-08

Total Pages: 112

ISBN-13: 9251091269

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This FFS Guidance Document focuses on the process and critical decisions that are necessary when starting a new FFS programme, and guides the reader through the essential steps required to establish a solid basis for such programmes, in tune with the specific local conditions. It also defines the essential elements and processes required to ensure programme relevance, quality, growth and sustainability. The document differs from most of the FFS manuals and guidelines available in that it focuses on providing support to FFS programme managers and formulators, as opposed to FFS field facilitators or trainers, who are the primary target group for most existing manuals.

Stepping-stones to Improve Upon Functioning of Participatory Agricultural Extension Programmes
Stepping-stones to Improve Upon Functioning of Participatory Agricultural Extension Programmes

Author: Prossy Isubikalu

Publisher: Brill Wageningen Academic

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13:

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"The Farmer Field School (FFS) originated in the 1980s in the context of integrated pest management in Indonesian rice farming. With the hope that it is the remedy for agricultural extension system, FFS has been promoted as a tool for participatory learning and experimentation all over the world. This work results from a critical analysis of the introduction of the FFS concept into the agricultural innovation system in Uganda. Ideally, an FFS produces new technical knowledge in the context of application through the input of local human resources. The analysis, framed as a technography, shows that implementation and operation of an FFS is hugely complex. This detailed study of institutional factors, from the level of international donor organizations down to the level of local leadership and gender relations, and analysis of technical factors in different rural areas of Uganda makes clear that and FFS is more than a local tool for farmer participation in agricultural improvement. Implementation of a FFS requires adjustment of the agricultural innovation system at all levels and an integrated tackling of agricultural problems in order to meet its objectives. Isubikalu shows that it is imperative to 'demolish' existing organizational structures and create new ones, which align scientific with local structures to produce an appropriate people-centered system that is more responsive to agricultural and rural development. She provides stepping stones in redesigning FFS to fit the specific conditions in Uganda."

Bringing climate change adaptation into farmer field schools
Bringing climate change adaptation into farmer field schools

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.

Published: 2021-09-24

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 9251348464

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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) developed this guidance note to assist FFS master trainers and facilitators bring about climate change adaptation in FFS. The guide provides key information on how the climate is changing, and how these changes are impacting the agricultural (crops and livestock), aquaculture and agroforestry systems of smallholder farmers. The note provides guidance to FFS practitioners so that they can better work with individual farmers and communities – using a “climate change lens” – in identifying, testing and adapting new practices that respond to changes and variability in local weather. The guide is not intended as a textbook on climate change but is prepared for easy understanding of basic concepts of climate change to support the interpretation of climate information in specific farming contexts and steps that FFS facilitators “must know” in starting FFS programmes that respond to climate change challenges.

Cassava Farmer Field Schools
Cassava Farmer Field Schools

Author: Martin Ameu

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 216

ISBN-13:

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This manual is part of FAO's effort to promote sustainable intensification of smallholder crop production. It has been developed from experiences with farmer field schools in four African countries. It provides background information on the farmer field school approach and a compilation of field exercises as they are used in cassava farmer field schools. The guide is intended for use by farmer field facilitators during training of facilitators or during the farmer field school itself.

Models of the Mind
Models of the Mind

Author: Stephen L. Dilts

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 350

ISBN-13: 1135895635

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Making sense of such bewildering problems as hallucinations, paranoia, depression, and anxiety seems an incredible challenge, but modern psychiatry is able to bring understanding and change to many of those whose lives are impaired by psychiatric problems. This is not accomplished through the application of one dominant psychological theory, but through the integration of perspectives of many such theories in this diverse field into a befitting approach-the biopsychosocial model. Application of the biopsychosocial model will allow for understanding the patient in biological, psychological, and social terms simultaneously, and provide a holistic picture with multiple strategies for treatment. In this book, the author takes a step back from the assessment to demonstrate to the student methods of the information gathered from the patient into a clinically useful whole, essentially showing exactly how and why the psychiatrist arrives at an intervention.

Gender transformative approaches for food security, improved nutrition and sustainable agriculture – A compendium of fifteen good practices
Gender transformative approaches for food security, improved nutrition and sustainable agriculture – A compendium of fifteen good practices

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.

Published: 2020-12-09

Total Pages: 154

ISBN-13: 9251333971

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The Compendium is a product of the Joint Programme on Gender Transformative Approaches for Food Security and Nutrition implemented by FAO, IFAD and WFP and funded by the European Union. The compendium of 15 good practices of gender transformative approaches (GTAs) includes the individual templates of the 15 good practices, provides a synthesis of the main features of the 15 GTAs presenting the core characteristics of 15 GTAs and describing the implementation arrangements, implementation cycle, the potential results of GTAs and their key success factors and challenges. It also includes ideas as to how GTAs could be taken to scale. The purpose of the Compendium is fourfold: (i) to take stock and draw lessons from experiences from existing practices of GTAs; (ii) to be a resource for agencies already working with GTAs to identify opportunities for strengthening their GTA work or to link up with complementary interventions; (iii) to provide guidance on how to apply GTAs in any organization or institution working for enhanced food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture; and (iv) to raise awareness of and advocate for GTAs by showcasing examples of good practices or successful approaches that contribute to positive gender-related and non-gender-related changes towards food security, improved nutrition and sustainable agriculture and rural development.

FAO framework on ending child labour in agriculture
FAO framework on ending child labour in agriculture

Author: FAO

Publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Published: 2020-06-01

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9251328463

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The purpose of the FAO’s framework is to guide the Organization and its personnel in the integration of measures addressing child labour within FAO’s typical work, programmes and initiatives at global, regional and country levels. It aims to enhance compliance with organization’s operational standards, and strengthen coherence and synergies across the Organization and with partners. The FAO framework is primarily targeted at FAO as an organization, including all personnel in all geographic locations. But the framework is also relevant for FAO’s governing bodies and Member States, and provides guidance and a basis for collaboration with development partners. The framework is also to be used as a key guidance to assess and monitor compliance with FAO’s environmental and social standards addressing prevention and reduction of child labour in FAO’s programming.