The role of farmers' field schools in IPM implementation

Abstract EN

Introduction of Farmers’ Field Schools (FFS) in 1993 and Rural Women Schools (RWS) in 1995 by the FAO/ARC IPM project as a new model of extension of new production and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) options is presently widely accepted by policy makers, federal and state ministries of agriculture, large scheme managers, researchers and farmers.

The FFS/RWS approach is already used as a standard extension methodology in the Gezira and Rahad scheme; Gezira, Khartoum and Sennar states.

First FFS/RWS has been also established in El Obeid area for rainfed agriculture.

The FFS/RWS activities include weekly meetings in the field throughout the whole growing season with a group of 25 - 30 farmers.

In this approach, on-farm research is integrated with extension; farmers are trained in weekly training sessions and by validating technical IPM options for pest control and improved cultural practices at farm level.

The new dimension of FFS/RWS approach includes following new interactions between farmers/extensionists/researchers/ managers/policy makers such as: (a) Training the farmers and preparing local extensionists in participatory approach; (b) Exposing scientists to the farmers problems, needs and constrains of production; (c) Training the conventional extensionists and increase their interactions with farmers; (d) Act as a focal field points, where farmers meet with researchers and extensionists; (e) Raise the awareness of farmers in environmental and food security issues; (f) Improve the farmers interactions with researchers and the government extension and (g) The FFS provides a sustainable research extension system because the significant number of farmers graduated from the school can perform a role of local extensionists.