The document discusses Farmer Field Schools (FFS), which are groups of farmers who regularly meet during crop cycles to study agricultural topics hands-on in farmers' fields. FFS are facilitated by skilled farmers or experts and follow principles of experiential learning. The key objectives of FFS include growing healthy crops, conserving natural enemies, conducting field observations, making farmers competent, and reducing costs. FFS operate with weekly farmer meetings during seasons where participants manage learning plots and experiments. They emphasize building farmers' abilities to draw their own conclusions through experimentation.

1. WELCOME
SONDARVA YAGNESH M
MSc Agril.Extension
Dept.of Ext.Edu.
BACA, AAU Anand
Farmer Field Schools

2. Definitions
● In general Farmer Field Schools (FFS) consist of groups of people
with a common interest, who get together on a regular basis to study
the “how and why” of a particular topic. The topics covered can
vary considerably. The FFS however are particularly adapted to
field study, where specific hands-on management skills and
conceptual understanding is required.
● FFS can be also defined as: “ A platform for learning and
experience sharing among farmers. Farmers groups meet regularly
during a season or enterprise cycle under the guidance of a skilled
facilitator. The learning tool and methods build on experiential
learning and action research principles and all learning in hands-on,
practical and takes place in farmers own fields.”

3. Objectives of an FSS
● Grow a healthy crop
● Conserve natural enemies of crop pests
● Conduct regular field observations
● Make farmers competent in their own field
● Reduce production costs
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4. Basic Principles of FFS
● The farmers are participating in weekly
meetings during a full cropping season.
● They learn important ecological principles by
managing learning plots and experiments
themselves.
● 30 farmers form an FFS that is facilitated by
two trainers. The discussion between farmers
is the pulling force in FFS

5. 1. Farm: It is basic production and managing facility of any crops or livestock.
1. School: A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students, learners
under the supervision of teachers.
1. Farm School: It is basic production and managing facility of any crops or
livestock designed to teach the learners based on the principles of “learning by
doing” everything about production and management under the direct
supervision of sucessful farmers / teacher / instructor /trainer / specialist or
anybody.
“Teachers” in the Farm Schools could be progressive farmers, extension
functionaries or expert belonging to Government or Non-Government Sector.

6. key features of the Farm Schools
● Farm Schools would be operationalized at Block/Gram Panchayat level
● These would be set up in the field of outstanding farmers and awardees of nationally
recognized awards for farmers. These could also be set up in a Government/ Non-
Government Institution
● “Teachers” in the Farm Schools could be progressive farmers, extension
functionaries or expert belonging to Government or Non-Government Sector
● One of the main activities of Farm Schools would be to operationalize Front Line
Demonstrations in one or more crops and/or allied sector activities. These
demonstrations would focus on Integrated Crop Management including field
preparation, seed treatment, IPM, INM, etc
● Farm Schools would provide season long technical backstopping/ training to target
farmers
● The “students” of Farm Schools would be leaders of Commodity Interest Groups
(CIGs) formed in different villages and other farmers
● “Students” would visit Farm Schools as per specified schedule or as may be
necessary. “Teachers” may also visit students as may be necessary
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7. Concept of Farmer School
● FS as participatory extension methodology recognizes
the need to involve farmers in technology
development and transfer
● FS consists of groups of people with a common
interests who get together on a regular basis to study
the “how and why” of a particular topic
● FS emphasizes building on the farmer’s ability to
experiment and draw conclusions and it empowers
farmers to improve their socio-economy conditions.
● It operates with the principle of the non-formal
education and most of the sessions and contents are
based on the adult learning principle.
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8. Elements of FS
● The Group : a group of people with a common interest forms a core
of FS. The group be mixed with men women together or separated,
depending on culture and topic.
● The Field: In the FS, the field is the teacher, and it provides most of
the training materials like plants, pest and real problems. School are
set up in the fields, farmers are able to use nature as their “text
books”
● The Facilitator: Each FS needs a technically facilitator to lead the
members through the hands-on exercises. FS process is easy to
identify capable farmers who are interested in becoming
facilitators.
● The Curriculum: FS curriculum follows a natural cycle of its
subject, be a crop, animal, soil or handicrafts. There is no lectures,
all activities based on ‘learning by doing’. Participatory hand on
work.
● The programme leader: The person need to keep a close watch on
FS for potential technical or human relation problems. The
programme leader must be good leader and empowering person.
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9. Characteristics of FS
● Self generated materials: Learning material is the living crop field.
Other materials include blank newsprint paper, markers, plastic bags,
bamboo sticks etc. In small team farmers themselves develop their
own experiments and write up their results based on direct interaction
on the field.
● Role of the facilitator: Role of the facilitator is to organize the structure
of learning.
● Analysis and decisions-making: Each week in small group farmer
examine the environment, farm, record, water condition, plant growth
stage and insect population. Based on this array group make a crop
management decision for the coming week.
● Season long training: Farm school programme begins with several
session held with a farmers group to map out local crop problems.
● Building Farmer Organization: Goal of FS is not just to impart skills to
a set of individual farmers. The goal of the programme is to develop
an organized group of “farmer expert”
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10. Role of FS in promoting sustainable agriculture
It is vital to note that no amount of research will lead to sustainable
agricultural development if we do not address the constraints to
sustainable agriculture. Most importantly, they have to use an
extension strategy that allows the stakeholder to be part of research
agenda. When the stakeholder to agricultural research part of the
planning and implementation, they have the sense of belonging an
ownership. The use of FS extension approach will make the farmer to
be central to agricultural research dissemination. Multidisciplinary
research teams bring into the research agenda scientists from different
backgrounds. These differences in background will not only assist in
problem solving, but will help in making research more relevant to
the needs of the farmers and others users. Farmer’s Field School as a
model will be the most appropriate methodology for validation and
dissemination of agricultural technologies. This will lead to people-
oriented and sustainable agriculture.
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11. Fundamental elements of FFS
● Group
25-30 people, M&F, meeting at least for an entire production cycle.
● Field
It is the true master. Field provides most of study materials and put students
in front of real problems and solutions.
● Facilitator
S/He is not the master but it is better if s/he is a skilled farmer who lives
with FFS’s farmers.
● Study
Study subjects can focus on agronomy, animal husbandry, forestry and
social issues etc.
● Programme coordinator
S/He is a fundamental actor for the success of intervention. S/He supports
facilitators' training and coordinates them; organizes all the materials per
field.
● Funding
Costs vary depending on donors and typology of intervention.
● Sinergy with authorities
It is decisive for sustainability and effectiveness of the programme.

12. “IF I HEAR IT I FORGET IT,
IF I SEE IT I REMEBER IT,
● BUT IF I DISCOVER IT I CAN OWN IT FOR
LIFE!”
(www.farmererfieldschools.net: Farmers Field Schools (FFS): A Group Extension
Process Based on Adult Non-Formal Education Methods )

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