Senegal has had extensive experience with the development and implementation of the farmer field school (FFS) approach across almost two decades. Building on this experience and that of the first phase of the scoping exercise conducted in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region (and using the same methodology), a field visit took place in order to support the efforts of FAO Senegal in its FFS-related work and assessments, as well as assist with the production and sharing of information at the regional level. The main objective was to collect and analyse the experiences of FFS members, graduates and practitioners in relation to gender equality, social inclusion, and individual and community empowerment, as well as changes to these as a result of participation in an FFS, while also confirming the relevance and/or importance of certain related thematic areas.

The purpose of the initiative is to make farmers’ experiences more visible, and not only demonstrate the impact of FFS programmes, but also use these experiences in future implementations of the FFS approach. By identifying gaps in knowledge and opportunities, achievements and challenges, best practices and lessons learned, this exercise aims to provide an insight into and deeper understanding of the FFS’ gender and social dimensions. It offers the opportunity to reflect on this cross-cutting issue to allow these aspects to be better incorporated into the broader FFS discussion and its wider work. The exercise also identifies the needs of FFS facilitators in relation to gender equality, social inclusion and community empowerment, and examines the relevance of related concepts and approaches and its modalities. A review of the existing work on strengthening gender equality and improving access for vulnerable groups within the context of FFS programmes has also been conducted.