Discovery-based Soil Productivity Improvement through Farmer Field Schools is (Farmer-SPI) essential to:

 Enhance farmer adoption and adaptation of appropriate and effective soil productivity improvement technologies and practices

 Motivate and empower farmers in soil productivity improvement through discovery-based learning, on-farm participatory technology development and information exchange (farmer <--> farmer; farmer <--> facilitator)

 Identify and mobilise effective support services for farmers and facilitators

This site provides information on FAO's pilot programme on Soil Productivity Improvement through Farmer Field Schools. Specifically, it aims at promoting the exchange of information and experiences on the development and implementation of FFS for enhancing and sustaining soil productivity. The site is targetting those involved in developing participatory or FFS land management and conservation programmes, resource persons and senior extension officers as well as agricultural development specialists.

The sections of this site cover the objectives and activities of the SPI-FFS programme (which has its' main focus on the development of training materials, curriculum development, capacity building and the development of regional support programmes), SPI concepts and approaches, training materials and curriculum, capacity building, and national/regional relevent programmes. The documents section provides background information, guidelines and training materials that can be downloaded. The "projects and programme section" provides descriptions of programme/projects and focal points in the East and Southern African Region.

All interested partner organisations/resource persons are invited to participate and exchange experiences on participatory training for farmers in the area of soil productivity improvement.

Links to related information from FAO: Land Management thematic portals on Conservation Agriculture, Soil Biological Management and Plant Nutrition Information, Participatory Training and Extension in Farmers’ Water Management, the Global IPM Facility, the Special Programme for Food Security and Organic Agriculture.

Feedback: You are welcome to provide any feedback and comments on this web site, any contributions and further information on relevant work, activities and experiences on farmer-centred soil productivity approaches as well as any proposals for partnership arrangements. Please send your feedback to Farmer-SPI@fao.org.

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