farmer field schools a new approach by allah dad khan
TRANSCRIPT
Farmer Field Schools
A new approach to rural developmentBy
Allah Dad Khan A Lecture To Student OF M Phil at AUP
Peshawar
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
•Natural Resource Management
•Freshwater use•Soil Conservation•Environment protection
•Health consciousness
•Livelihood improvement through Technology Use.
Putting it in Perspective
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
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
What is IPM for a Farmer ?
Integrated Pest Managementor
Increased Profit Margins
Why FFS for Farmers Only farmer can make the “right” Farm Management decision Only 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 farms There are too many farms (5.00 mill) (5.00 mill) and too few extension and 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 and Each farmer field is different in pest, beneficial fauna, soil and other eco-system elements and cannot be treated on a other eco-system elements and cannot be treated on a generalized technology package message.generalized technology package message.
Technologies requiring decision-making and management need Technologies 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.
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.
Basic Aims of Farmer Field School
1. Skill Development
2. Empowerment
3. Will power
4. Capacity of Decision Making
Basic Principles of Farmer Field School
1. Grow a healthy crop2. Conserve natural
enemies3. Conduct regular field
observations4. Farmers understand
ecology and become experts in their own fields
TOF
25 Facilitators
10 FFS
3 days TOF per week
2 days FFS per week
Innovations•Partial residence
•Single district participants
Pakistan Model
Non-Formal education Specialist/
Facilitators
Researchers/ Subject matter
SpecialistsToF 25
Facilitators
Facilitators are furtherdivided 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
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)
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
•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
TOF/FFS Crop Cycle Activity ChartTOF/FFS Crop Cycle Activity Chart
L
Land Preparation/ Group formation
AESAInsect ZooSpecial topic
AESAInsect ZooGroup Dynamics
AESAInsect ZooGroup DynamicsS Topic
AESAInsect ZooGroup DynamicsData Analysis
Agro-Ecosystem Training
Cucumber Cropping CalendarIsmailia, Winter Season
October November December January FebruaryPreplant Seedling Growth Flower Fruit-Set Harvest
Climate protect young plantsfrom strong winds
preferred temperature: day 24o/night19o
rH should not sink below 40-50%preferred temperature: day 20o/night16o
rH should not sink below 40-50%preferred temperature:
day 27o/night27°keep tunnels closed for
germination onlyventilate tunnels, particularly after sunrise to avoid water on the leaves at any time
keep tunnels closed at nightSoil 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 soilswith high water holdingcapacity
irrigate lightly and regularly, preferably in the morning hoursavoid water logging and periods of water stress
NutrientsN 50 kg Ammon. Sulfate
P 100 kg Super Phosphate
KCa 50 kg Calcium Nitrate
MicroelementsProtection Favorable Conditions: Control Measures:
Downy Mildew 20-25oC90-95% rH
Protective:Cu-oxichlorideCurative: systemic
Powd. Mildew 20-25oC75-85% rH Micronized Sulfur/water
Spider Mites warm and dryMicronized Sulfur
Aphids K-soap
CulturalPractices
do not grow cucumberrepeatedly in the samefield to avoid nematodes
use 1.5 kg seeds/fd6-8000plants/fd1-2 plants/m2
clip tips to encourageside shoots
cut out old, diseasedleaves
50 kg Potassium Sulfate 50 kg Potassium Sulfate50-100 kg Super Phosphate
Use TX6 Nozzles for best coverage
Crop Calendar
Water
Beneficials
Cultural Practices
Nutrients
PestsWeather
Soil
Plant
Ecosystem Analysis
Agronomic DataWeekly
Plant Height# of leaves/plant# of flowers/plants# of fruits/plantsWeight of harvested fruits
Plant Protection
Data
Weekly
Counting insect pests
Counting natural enemies
Diseases incidence
General Data
WeeklyVarietyDays after plantingWeather conditionsSoil conditions
Agro-ecosystem Analysis Agro-ecosystem Analysis (AESA)(AESA)
Farm
er F
ield
Sc
hool
s Give a man a fish…...and feed him for a day
Teach him how to fish…..and feed him for life