Farmer Field Schools (FFS) are a new approach to rural development that focuses on empowering farmers through participatory, discovery-based learning. The FFS model involves weekly meetings of small groups of farmers over the course of a growing season. Led by a facilitator, farmers make regular field observations and conduct experiments to gain an understanding of agroecosystem dynamics. This helps farmers make independent management decisions for their crops based on the local conditions of their fields. The goal is to improve farmers' skills, decision-making abilities, and livelihoods in a sustainable manner through collaborative, bottom-up learning.