Farmers field school modern approach A Presentation by Mr Allah Dad Khan Consultant NRM IUCN Pakistan

2. FARMERS FIELD SCHOOL
THE
MODERN APPROACH TO
AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT
By
Allah Dad Khan

3. Definition
The Farmer Field School (FFS) is a
group-based learning process that has
been used by a number of governments,
NGOs and international agencies to
promote Integrated Pest Management
(IPM).

4. Origin of LFFS
In 2001, the International Livestock Research
Institute (ILRI), with the support of the FAO and
the Animal Health Programme (AHP) of the UK’s
Department for International Development (DFID),
adapted the FFS methodology to livestock
production systems. This required the integration
of animal health concerns and crop/forage
production activities within the FFS curriculum

5. Origin of FFS contd
By the end of the 1980s, a new approach to
farmer training emerged in Indonesia called
the 'Farmer Field School' (FFS). The broad
problem which these field schools were
designed to address was a lack of knowledge
among Asian farmers relating to agroecology,
particularly the relationship between insect
pests and beneficial insects .

6. First FFS
The first IPM Farmer Field Schools
were designed and managed in 1989 by
experts working for the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) in
Indonesia. This was not, however, the
first attempt made by FAO to extend
IPM techniques to farmers in South
East Asia.

7. The basic features of a typical rice IPM
Farmer Field School are as follows
The IPM Field School is field based and lasts for a full
cropping season.
 A FFS meets once a week with a total number of meetings that might
range from at least 10 up to 16 meetings.
 The primary learning material at a Farmers Field School is the field.
 The Field School meeting place is close to the learning plots often in a
farmer’s home and sometimes beneath a convenient tree.
 FFS educational methods are experiential, participatory, and learner
centered.
 Each FFS meeting includes at least three activities: the agro-
ecosystem analysis, a “special topic”, and a group dynamics activity.

8. The basic features of a typical IPM Farmer
Field School are as follows
Contd
 In every FFS, participants conduct a study comparing IPM with non-IPM
treated plots.
 An FFS often includes several additional field studies depending on local
field problems.
 Between 25 and 30 farmers participate in a FFS. Participants learn
together in small groups of five to maximise participation.
 All FFSs include a Field Day in which farmers make presentations about
IPM and the results of their studies.
 A pre- and post-test is conducted as part of every Field School for
diagnostic purposes and for determining follow-up activities.
 The facilitators of FFS’s undergo intensive season-long residential training
to prepare them for organising and conducting Field Schools.
 Preparation meetings precede an FFS to determine needs, recruit
participants, and develop a learning contract.
 Final meetings of the FFS often include planning for follow-up activities

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

14. 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

16. 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)

18. TOF/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

19. 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 24o
/night19o
rH should not sink below40-50%
preferred temperature: day 20o
/night16o
rH should not sink below40-50%
preferred temperature:
day 27o
/night27°
keep tunnels closed for
germination only
ventilate tunnels, particularly after sunrise to avoid water on the leaves at any time
keep tunnels closed at night
Soil  use fine-structured, well
aerated organic soils
 use 20-40m3
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 20-25o
C
90-95% rH
Protective:Cu-oxichloride
Curative: systemic
Powd. Mildew 20-25o
C
75-85% rH Micronized Sulfur/water
Spider Mites warm and dry
Micronized Sulfur
Aphids
K-soap
Cultural
Practices
do not growcucumber
repeatedly in the same
field to avoid nematodes
use 1.5 kg seeds/fd
6-8000plants/fd
1-2 plants/m2
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 L J
Water
Beneficials
Cultural
Practices
Nutrients
PestsWeather
Soil
Plant
Ecosystem Analysis

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

22. FarmerField
Schools Give a man a fish
…...and feed him for a
day
Teach him how to fish
…..and feed him for
life