Farm Business School handbook: Training of facilitators programme for South Asia

RAP PUBLICATION 2011/05B

Farm Business School handbook: Training of facilitators programme for South Asia

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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Bangkok 2011

ABSTRACT

Dramatic changes are taking place in farming worldwide as a result of globalisation, liberalisation, and rapid urbanisation. Farmers are intensifying existing patterns of production and diversifying their farm enterprises in an attempt to improve their livelihoods. Technical know-how is not enough. In order to be competitive and take advantage of the new opportunities that are arising, farmers increasingly have to adapt their farm business to market changes and improve efficiency, profitability and income. Farmers’ skills and capacity can only be built through a process of learning and practice. The Farm Business School (FBS) has been developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to help farmers learn how to make their farming enterprises and overall farm operations profitable and able to respond to market demands. The learning takes place at the village level and farmers' capacity in entrepreneurial and management skills is built via a "learning by doing" approach. Extension officers and lead farmers are trained as facilitators and then organise seasonal training courses, where farmers work in small groups at their own pace using materials that have been specially designed for the schools. The Training of Facilitators Programme consists of two parts: 1) a facilitators manual and 2) a handbook for the participants. This publication presents the handbook.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
Session 1: Getting to know each other
Session 2: Introduction to the Farm Business School (FBS)
Session 3: Communication skills
Session 4: Effective facilitation
Session 5: Understanding the FBS curriculum
Session 6: Roll-out of FBS meetings
Session 7: Orientation & mobilization of communities
Session 8: Organizing & managing the FBS
Session 9: Planning the FBS curriculum
Session 10: Evaluation & close

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.

The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of FAO.

ISBN 978-92-5-106816-8

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For copies write to:	Agriculture and Food Systems Group (AFS)
	FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
	Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Atit Road
	Bangkok 10200, Thailand
	Tel: (+66) 2 697 4000
	Fax: (+66) 2 697 4445
	E-mail: [email protected]