Farmer field schools a new approach By Allah Dad Khan

2. Farmer Field Schools
A new approach to rural development
By
Allah Dad Khan
A Lecture To Student OF M Phil at AUP
Peshawar

3. Putting it in Perspective
 The Target Group- FarmersThe Target Group- Farmers
• Resource deficient, Illiterate, Traditional, inward lookingResource deficient, Illiterate, Traditional, inward looking
 ObjectivesObjectives
 Poverty alleviation.Poverty alleviation.
• Enhanced ProductivityEnhanced Productivity
• Reduced CostsReduced Costs
 Social OrganizationSocial Organization
• Group formation (pressure Groups)Group formation (pressure Groups)
• Conflict Resolution (Debate and consensus building)Conflict Resolution (Debate and consensus building)
 Empowerment and removing dependencyEmpowerment and removing dependency
• Setting Research AgendasSetting Research Agendas
• To do own researchTo do own research

4. •Natural Resource Management
•Freshwater use
•Soil Conservation
•Environment protection
•Health consciousness
•Livelihood improvement through Technology Use.
Putting it in Perspective

5. Technology Transfer
 Products vs Knowledge based Technologies
 Knowledge vs Skill Development
 Learning by doing vs by seeing
 Discovery based learning
 Decision making vs following advice
 Situation based vs Technology based
development
 Participatory vs Empty barrel approach

6. Salient Differences in T&V, and FFS
Basic Philosophy
Role of Farmers
Role of Facilitators
Perception by Farmers
Approach
Instructions
Consume New
Knowledge
Teach
Free Service
Top Down
Discovery
Decide
Facilitate
Invest time and
farm facilities
Bottom-up
Features T & V FFS

7. What is IPMfor a Farmer ?
Integrated Pest Management
or
Increased Profit Margins

8. Why FFS for Farmers
√ Only farmer can make the “right” Farm Management decisionOnly farmer can make the “right” Farm Management decision
based on his own perceptions of economics and technologies.based on his own perceptions of economics and technologies.
So farmer should be trained in decision-making
√ There are too many farmsThere are too many farms (5.00 mill)(5.00 mill) and too few extensionand too few extension
workers to be able to service them all.workers to be able to service them all.
A self multiplying training programme for farmers need
to be established.
√ Each farmer field is different in pest, beneficial fauna, soil andEach farmer field is different in pest, beneficial fauna, soil and
other eco-system elements and cannot be treated on aother eco-system elements and cannot be treated on a
generalized technology package message.generalized technology package message.
√ Technologies requiring decision-making and management needTechnologies requiring decision-making and management need
skill transfer training.skill transfer training.
IPM cannot be implemented simply by demonstration, field
days, TV Ads, radio, publications etc.

9. Farmer Field School Approach
Farmer Field School is a school without walls.
Farmers and extension workers are students. The
Farmers Field is the class room and the plant is the
teacher. As the plant grows the students gain
knowledge in the light of their observations. The get
together at a fixed time every week once and make
their own decisions based on observations and data
analysis for the health of the plants.

10. Basic Aims of Farmer Field School
1. Skill
Development
2. Empowerment
3. Will power
4. Capacity of
Decision Making

11. Basic Principles of Farmer Field School
1. Grow a healthy crop
2. Conserve natural
enemies
3. Conduct regular field
observations
4. Farmers understand
ecology and become
experts in their own
fields

12. TOF
25
Facilitators
10 FFS
3 days TOF per week
2 days FFS per
week
Innovations
•Partial residence
•Single district
participants
Pakistan
Model

13. Non-Formal
education
Specialist/
Facilitators
Researchers/
Subject matter
Specialists
ToF 25
Facilitators
Facilitators are further
divided into 5 groups
each group comprises of 5
facilitators
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5
FFS FFS FFS FFS FFS FFS FFS FFS FFS FFS
Training of Facilitators

14. TOF: Training of Facilitators
Activity guided by a facilitator who has been
trained before hand
CHARACTERISTICS
• One complete growing season
• Learning by doing
• Growing own crop (regular observations on
plant development)
• Carry out FFS
• Group dynamics (serve as preparation for
trainees to conduct FFSs themselves and to
gain facilitation skills)
• Fostering corporate identity (provides joint
spirit which is crucial factor for the success)

15. FFS: Farmer Field School
•Non formal adult education
•CHARACTERISTICS
 One complete growing season
 Discovery based learning in the field
 Conducting experiments (insect zoo, herbivore-
predator trials in cages, defoliation experiments etc)
 Working in groups
•Horizontal learning by fellow farmers

16. •TYPICAL SEQUENCE OF FFS
 Field observations
 Agro-eco-system analysis
 drawing (observations are assembled in
large drawings showing plant, pests on one side
and beneficial insects on the other side)
 presentation
 discussion
 crop management decision
 Group dynamics
•Special/Interesting topics or observations

17. TOF/FFS Crop Cycle Activity ChartTOF/FFS Crop Cycle Activity Chart
L
Land
Preparation/
Group
formation
AESA
Insect
Zoo
Special
topic
AESA
Insect
Zoo
Group
Dynamics
AESA
Insect
Zoo
Group
Dynamics
S Topic
AESA
Insect Zoo
Group
Dynamics
Data
Analysis

18. Agro-Ecosystem Training
Cucumber Cropping Calendar
Ismailia, Winter Season
October November December January February
Preplant Seedling Growth Flower Fruit-Set Harvest
Climate protect young plants
from strong winds
preferred temperature: day 24
o
/night19
o
rH should not sink below 40-50%
preferred temperature: day 20
o
/night16
o
rH should not sink below 40-50%
preferred temperature:
day 27
o
/night27°
keep tunnels closed for
germination only
ventilate tunnels, particularly after sunrise to avoid water on the leaves at anytime
keep tunnels closed at night
Soil • use fine-structured, well
aerated organic soils
• use 20-40m
3
manure to
increase organic matter
• add 50-100 kg sulfur to
lower alkalinity
• plant 2-3 cm deep
• keep soil warm to assist
germination
remove weeds
Water use well drained soils
with high water holding
capacity
irrigate lightly and regularly, preferably in the morning hours
avoid water logging and periods of water stress
Nutrients
N 50 kg Ammon. Sulfate
P 100 kg Super Phosphate
K
Ca 50 kg Calcium Nitrate
Microelements
Protection Favorable Conditions: Control Measures:
Downy Mildew 20-25
o
C
90-95% rH
Protective:Cu-oxichloride
Curative: systemic
Powd. Mildew 20-25
o
C
75-85% rH Micronized Sulfur/water
Spider Mites warm and dry
Micronized Sulfur
Aphids K-soap
Cultural
Practices
do not grow cucumber
repeatedly in the same
field to avoid nematodes
use 1.5 kg seeds/fd
6-8000plants/fd
1-2 plants/m
2
clip tips to encourage
side shoots
cut out old, diseased
leaves
50 kg Potassium Sulfate 50 kg Potassium Sulfate
50-100 kg Super Phosphate
Use TX6 Nozzles for best coverage
Crop Calendar
 
Water
Beneficials
Cultural
Practices
Nutrients
PestsWeather
Soil
Plant
Ecosystem Analysis

19. Agronomic Data
Weekly
Plant Height
# of leaves/plant
# of flowers/plants
# of fruits/plants
Weight of harvested
fruits
Plant Protection
Data
Weekly
Counting insect
pests
Counting natural
enemies
Diseases incidence
General Data
Weekly
Variety
Days after
planting
Weather
conditions
Soil
conditions
Agro-ecosystem Analysis (AESA)Agro-ecosystem Analysis (AESA)

20. Farmer Field
Schools Give a man a fish
…...and feed him for a day
Teach him how to fish
…..and feed him for life