FAO : Education for rural people (ERP) Tool Kit Non Formal

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Tool Kit

Non-formal education for youth, women and adults (including literacy, basic skill training, extension and farmers' field schools)

Figures for bookkeeping 1 e 2. by Diana E. tempelman Gender and Development FAO regional Office for Africa 1993 December 1st re-print 1995 2nd re-print 2001 figure for bookkeeping 1.pdf figure for bookkeeping 2.pdf This guide for facilitators who want to teach illiterate women and men how to count. This “Facilitators Guide” together with the “Learners Primer” form a training package. Figures for bookkeeping is a basic training document to teach numbers, calculations and the use of money. It teaches numeracy (counting) and not literacy (reading and writing letters, words or sentences). This training has been specially made for illiterate women and men who work in agriculture, fisheries, forestry or who have a small business. Part 1 of the “facilitator’s guide” gives a general introduction on the use of the student’s document, how to adapt the training material to other currencies, what attitude the facilitators should take to stimulate the learning of the participants. Part II explains the contents of the course and clarifies the details of the document Figures for bookkeeping. Related links Activities of the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) http://www.fao.org/sd/wpdirect/wpre0013.htm Gender and food security website http://www.fao.org/gender/gender.htm Socio-economic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA) web site http://www.fao.org/sd/seaga/index_en.htm Related articles Enhancing women's managerial skills for small scale business enterprises through numeracy and simple bookkeeping training by Ms Diana Tempelman Gender and Development FAO regional Office for Africa Accra, Ghana, October 2000 http://www.fao.org/sd/wpdirect/wpre0133b.htm Programmes for Women in Agriculture and Rural Development by FAO regional Office for Africa Gender and Development Accra, Ghana September 1996 http://www.fao.org/sd/wpdirect/wpre0014.htm Education and Food For All A Compendium of FAO Experience in Basic Education by Katia Noseck Sommer, Lydia Sorflaten and Johanne Lortie FAO Rome, October 2001 http://www.fao.org/sd/2001/kn1003a3_en.htm Contact: Diana E. Tempelman Gender and Development FAO regional Office for Africa P.O. Box 1628 Accra, Ghana Diana.Tempelman@fao.org

Simple Bookkeeping and Business Management Skills. by Ria Meijerink Gender and Development FAO regional Office for Africa Accra, Ghana, November 1994 2nd edition October 2001 Pages 88 ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/SD/SDW/Simple%20Bookkeeping%20 and%20Businnes%20Management%20Skills.pdf Simple Bookkeeping and Business Management Skill’s training is a training document to teach small scale entrepreneurs how to use their numeracy skills in improving their businesses. It aims: - to teach participants on how to use their numeracy skills in business activities, thus allowing them to continue practising their newly acquired skills; and - to train them in how to improve their businesses by using simple business management techniques. The course targets small-scale entrepreneurs, both from rural and urban areas. Participants can be individual entrepreneurs or groups engaged in agricultural or other small-scale economic activities. Even though the course is mostly directed towards women, its content is also relevant for male entrepreneurs. Participants are expected to be able to do basic calculations, but they do not necessarily have to know how to read and write words. Where appropriate, symbols are used instead of words. Literacy courses can be held supplementary to the course on 'Simple Bookkeeping and Business Management Skills. The course explains the difference between "Money in" (credit) and "Money out" (debit) and provides examples of "Income" and "Expenditure". It teaches how to maintain a "cash book" (using symbols for the goods sold or the services rendered) and practises calculations on "profit" and "loss". Participants learn that "Profit" should be divided into: monies used for the household, for the business and for savings. "Savings" should be divided into: money to replace tools (or depreciation), money to expand the business (investment), money for emergency cases and money to improve the way of living. Furthermore, the participants learn when to sell or buy on credit and how to keep track of repayments in a "credit book". The training also includes lessons on "Costing and Pricing" and teaches basic notions of management when establishing a new business. Related links Activities of the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) http://www.fao.org/sd/seaga/index_en.htm Gender and food security website http://www.fao.org/gender/gender.htm Socio-economic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA) web site http://www.fao.org/sd/seaga/index_en.htm Related articles Enhancing women's managerial skills for small scale business enterprises through numeracy and simple bookkeeping training by Ms Diana Tempelman Gender and Development FAO regional Office for Africa Accra, Ghana, October 2000 http://www.fao.org/sd/wpdirect/wpre0133b.htm

Fishing boat designs: 2V-bottom boats of planked and plywood construction. by Øyvind Gulbrandsen Fishery Technology Service (FIIT) Fishery Industries Division (FII) FAO Grimstad, Norway, 1997 Pages 64 http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/ DOCREP/003/W7260E/W7260E00.HTM This publication includes the designs of 4 small fishing vessels (5.2 to 8.5 metres), comprehensive material specifications and lists, and provides very comprehensive instructions for their construction, both planked and of plywood Timber remains the most common material for the construction of boats under 15 metres in length. There has been a change towards Fibre Reinforced Plastic in most developed countries and some developing countries, but in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, probably more than 90% of small fishing vessels are built of wood. The cost advantage of timber versus other materials is still sufficient to ensure that it will remain the dominant boatbuilding material for a long time to come in developing countries. However, unrestricted or illicit access to forest resources and the introduction of rational forestry management policies have caused and will continue to cause a scarcity of the sections of timbers traditionally favoured by boatbuilders. The resultant scarcity and high cost of good quality timber have not meant that less wooden boats are being built, but rather that vessel quality has deteriorated through the use of inferior timber and inadequate design strength. Related links Fishery Technology service website http://www.fao.org/fi/staff/staffiit.asp Fishery Training series http://www.fao.org/fi/eims_search/advanced_s_result.asp?series=214&sortorder=3&form_c=AND&lang=en Contact: Jeremy Turner, Fishery Technology Service (FIIT) Fishery Industries Division (FII) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Jeremy.turner@fao.org

Participatory Training and Extension in Farmers’ Water Management. by Water Resources, Development and Management Service (AGLW) Land and Water Development Division (AGL) FAO Rome, 2004 http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/aglw/farmerwatertraining/default.htm It is also available on a CD-ROM that can be ordered by sending an e-mail to: farmer-water-training@fao.org. This is a website which contains a package of training material for the development and implementation of a Participatory Training & Extension Programme in Farmers' Water Management. The two main documents are The Guidelines and Farmers’Training Manual for PT&E-FWM. Besides this, the training package contains a collection of various documents and audiovisual materials to help in the development and implementation of training programmes for farmers and field staff in order to facilitate the introduction of appropriate water control technologies and better water management techniques. Participatory Training and Extension (PT&E) has proved to be an effective tool to establish the appropriate support structure to assist and advise farmers in irrigation development and management. PT&E is in particular useful for small holder irrigation and in the case of irrigation management transfer programmes. Farmers’ Water Management (FWM) refers to all water control techniques, technologies and related activities under the direct control and responsibility of farmers. FWM is carried out on an individual basis, by each farmer on his/her own field and farm as well as by a group of farmers, who jointly manage a hydraulic unit and share water from the same source. Related links Land and Water Development Division Home Page http://www.fao.org/landandwater/default.stm Water cartoons developed for the World Food Day 2002 http://www.fao.org/wfd/wfd2002/cartoons/Water_cartoons.htm Contact: Giovanni Muñoz Water Resources, Development and Management Service (AGLW) Land and Water Development Division (AGL) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Giovanni.Munoz@fao.org

Farmer Field School and IPM. A library of training materials, case studies and scientific papers relating to IPM. http://www.communityipm.org/downloads.html#Training%20Materials The ecological approach to plant protection is called Integrated Pest Management, or IPM. Not only does it involve minimising the use of pesticides, it also involves a wide range of other practices aimed at growing a healthy crop. The training approach which has been used to help rural people learn about IPM is called the Farmers Field School (FFS). This entails weekly meetings by a group of farmers. Instead of listening to lectures or watching demonstrations, these farmers observe, record and discuss what is happening in their own fields from the time of planting to the time of harvest. This discovery-learning process generates a deep understanding of ecological concepts and their practical application. Since 1990 more than two million farmers have graduated from FFS. The misuse of pesticides is harmful to human health and is damaging to the environment. Millions of people are poisoned by pesticides every year, and pest problems are often made worse when the balance between beneficial and harmful insects is disturbed by applying toxic chemicals In the last two decades Asian Governments, NGOs and international agencies have been working together to organise training which helps farmers to learn about the ecology of their fields and, as a result, enables them to make and implement decisions which are safe, productive and sustainable. Related links This website is a source of information about Community IPM in Asia http://www.communityipm.org/index.htm About Farmer Field School An overview of characteristics of Farmer Field School. http://www.farmerfieldschool.net/document_en/FFS_GUIDe.doc Fundamental Elements of a Farmer Field Schools http://www.farmerfieldschool.net/document_en/05_06.pdf Contact: Manuela Allara, Plant Protection Service (AGPP) Plant Production and Protection Division (AGP) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Manuela.allara@fao.org

Rural Households and resources: A guide for extension workers. by Socio-economic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA) Gender and Development Service (SDWW) Gender and Population Division (SDW) FAO Rome, 2004 Pages 80 ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/007/y5551e/y5551e00.pdf The guide has been developed to assist extension and community workers to apply a participatory and gender-sensitive approach to their planning and work with rural households and people. The guide outlines some of the key gender-linked constraints and opportunities to improved livelihoods among different household members. It also provides key questions and participatory tools that can be used to assess and address gender-related constraints in management of resources such as water, land, credit and savings, time and technology. Although the guide has been developed with and for field-level extension workers, it should be useful for anyone wanting to use or promote the inclusion of participation, gender and socioeconomic analysis in development work. The guide promotes the SEAGA principles of giving priority to disadvantaged groups, focus on gender relations, and the use of participation and a holistic approach as essential in development work. Related links Socio-economic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA) web site http://www.fao.org/sd/seaga/index_en.htm SEAGA publications http://www.fao.org/sd/seaga/main4_en.htm Related articles Socio-economic and gender analysis (SEAGA) training tools in support of Household Resources Management by Ms Diana Tempelman Gender and Development FAO regional Office for Africa http://www.fao.org/sd/wpdirect/wpre0133c.htm Contact: Ilaria Sisto Gender and Development Service (SDWW) Gender and Population Division (SDW) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Ilaria.Sisto@fao.org

Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger by Nutrition Programmes Service (ESNP) Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) FAO and FMFH partnership Rome, 2002, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Swahili http://www.feedingminds.org/ This is a global educational initiative for children to introduce them to the issues of hunger, malnutrition, and food security. Intended for use by teachers, it is designed to enable and encourage children and youth to become actively involved in helping to create a world free from hunger and malnutrition. Three easy to use teaching modules have been developed for each of three levels of education - primary, intermediate and secondary - all of which cover, in varying degrees of complexity, the topics of what are hunger and malnutrition, who are the hungry, why are people hungry and malnourished and what can we do to help end hunger. The materials have been designed as a starting point for teachers around the world to introduce these topics to their students. Teachers can adapt and refine the materials to meet local needs and conditions. In addition, a key component of the initiative is information sharing among teachers and students in such a way as to create an interactive forum for exchanging ideas and experiences around the world. The materials and the interactive, on-line framework encourage teachers to contribute additional lessons and activities leading toward creating a world free from hunger. Related links Food and nutrition website http://www.fao.org/es/esn/index_en.stm Links about nutrition and education http://www.feedingminds.org/info/info_links.htm Related articles Food, Nutrition and Agriculture NO 33 by Jane Sherman consultant at Nutrition Programmes Service (ESNP) Food and Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) FAO Rome, 2003 http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/006/j0243m/j0243m00.htm Contact: Ellen Muehlhoff Nutrition Programmes Service (ESNP) Food and Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy ellen.muehlhoff@fao.org

The Family Nutrition Guide. by Ann Burgess and Peter Glasauer Nutrition Programmes Service (ESNP) Food and Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) FAO Rome, 2004 Pages 122 ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/007/y5740e/y5740e00.pdf ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/007/y5740e/y5740e01.pdf ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/007/y5740e/y5740e02.pdf This book is a basic nutrition education material, primarily written for health workers, nutritionists, agricultural extension workers or other development workers in developing countries, who want to help people achieving nutritional well being. It provides an up-to-date summary of the relevant nutrition information and gives many suggestions on how to share this information when working with groups of people. The guide will also be useful for training and is a resource for designing more effective nutrition education curricula and material. While the illustrations and food examples in this guide mainly reflect the situation in countries of Eastern and Southern Africa, the basic information in this book is relevant for all regions. Similar nutrition education material for developing countries worldwide can be prepared, taking this guide as an example. Suggestions for adapting the guide’s technical information to other areas, as well as for preparing a specific country version, are given. The guide is divided into 11 topics that cover basic nutrition (including, of course, micronutrients needs), family food security, meal planning, food hygiene and the special feeding needs of children, women and men, and of elderly, sick and malnourished people. Related links Food and nutrition website http://www.fao.org/es/esn/index_en.stm Related articles Food, Nutrition and Agriculture NO 33 by Jane Sherman consultant at Nutrition Programmes Service (ESNP) Food and Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) FAO Rome, 2003 http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/006/j0243m/j0243m00.htm Contact: Peter Glasauer, Nutrition Programmes Service (ESNP) Food and Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Peter.glasauer@fao.org

Training and Extension Resources on Tree Seed. by Forest Resources Development Service (FORM) and FAO-Netherlands Partnership Programme on Agro-biodiversity Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL) Denmark, 2003 http://www.dfsc.dk/Extensionstudy/index.html This website summarises training and extension resources related to forest reproductive material (i.e. seeds, cuttings etc). The aim is to facilitate access to extension resources concerning tree seed and related topics and make it easier for extension workers to produce new, appropriate resources without reinventing the wheel. The setting up of this forest reproductive material website was thought to addressed and make better use of existing teaching and extension resources in the long-term. The study has focused on technical topics. It has not specifically examined general methodology of training and extension, nor people-skills such as facilitation, participatory methodologies, management and administrative topics. These are important and are often key to the success or failure of training and extension efforts, but they are common to all branches of forestry and agriculture, and are best reviewed at that level. The study has also tried to focus on intermediate and field level resources. Tree seed is increasingly being collected by and for farmers, and so extension material should be at a level suitable for farmers, concerned with identification of suitable trees for collections, basic principles of tree selection, harvesting and storage, and collection and distribution of quality seed by and to farmers. Also, in large scale national extension programmes, it is important to ensure that collection and distribution of quality seed is of the species that the farmers want. The site has the following sections: RESOURCES, which provides an overview and commentary on the items. The opening page explains how these resources have been grouped into categories. GUIDELINES, which discusses the material, looks at the lessons learnt, and makes suggestions and gives ideas on how to produce new material. ANNEXES, which include a searchable and sortable master list, summary of electronic resources, further suggestions for resources, and useful contacts. RESOURCES by ID no. The top left hand branches of the site map contain the individual resources pages in numerical order. Related articles Guide to Forest reproductive material www.fao.org/forestry/seeds Overview of Forest Reproductive Material http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/AD093E/AD093E00.HTM Contact: Sigaud, Pierre (FORM) Forest Resources Development Service (FORM) Forest Products Division (FOP) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Pierre.sigaud@fao.org

Food & Nutrition – A Handbook for Namibian Volunteer Leaders. by Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Employment Creation, Namibia and Nutrition Programmes Service (ESNP) Food and Nutrition Division (ESN), FAO Windhoek, Namibia, June 2003 Pag. 113 This book helps young people to learn about food and healthy nutrition. It includes a total of 27 lesson plans and a nutrition board game deal with the functions of food, the importance of a healthy diet, food safety, and child feeding and growth monitoring. The handbook incorporates the experiential learning approach and emphasizes skills which will make learning about healthy nutrition more fun and more effective. Newly acquired or strengthened life skills will help young people to better address other problems in their lives. While this handbook is specifically tailored to suit the needs and situation of Namibia, it can serve as an example of nutrition education material for other countries. The document is designed for use in non-formal settings, for example, youth groups. Many of the lesson plans can easily be adapted for use in formal settings, such as schools. Related links Food and nutrition website http://www.fao.org/es/esn/index_en.stm Related articles Food, Nutrition and Agriculture NO 33 by Jane Sherman consultant at Nutrition Programmes Service (ESNP) Food and Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) FAO Rome, 2003 http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/006/j0243m/j0243m00.htm Contact: Peter Glasauer, Nutrition Programmes Service (ESNP) Food and Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Peter.glasauer@fao.org

Field Level Handbook. by Socio-economic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA) Gender and Development Service (SDWW) Gender and Population Division (SDW) FAO Rome, 2001 Pages 135 http://www.fao.org/sd/seaga/downloads/En/FieldEn.pdf The purpose of this guide is to enable extension workers and development agents to contribute to addressing the rural epidemic through agriculture and natural resource sector initiatives. This Handbook is written for development agents who work directly with local communities in developing countries. It is intended for extensionists, government and non-government field workers, and private and public-sector development consultants, and for community organisers and leaders of local groups and institutions. The purpose of this Handbook is to support participatory development planning at the Development agents to work together to: Identify key development patterns, Understand the livelihood strategies of different people, and Build consensus about development priorities and action plans. This SEAGA Field Handbook incorporates ideas and methods from people of all regions of the world who share a commitment to participatory development. It is based on actual experiences in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, but can be used by those working in all sectors of rural development. While building on earlier learning, there are three things that are different about this Handbook. First, explicit attention is given to the linkages among economic, environmental, social and institutional patterns that together constitute the development context. Both opportunities and constraints for development are identified. Second, understanding gender, wealth, ethnicity, caste and other social differences in communities is considered fundamental to understanding livelihood strategies and development priorities. The poor and marginalised are ensured a voice. And third, this Handbook provides toolkits specifically designed to support a participatory process that first, focuses on an analysis of the current situation, and second, focuses on planning for the future. The toolkits consist of a number of rapid rural and participatory rural appraisal tools, but include also a series of SEAGA Questions to facilitate and deepen analysis. This SEAGA Field Handbook is written in recognition that those of us who work directly with village women and men have a great responsibility. As outsiders who enjoy a certain degree of power, privilege and security, we must remember that many insiders do not. Indeed, many villagers walk a thin line between poverty and destitution. This is especially true for those who lack access to key resources because of their gender, ethnicity or caste. The only sure way to avoid mistakes, or negative impacts, is through a participatory process in which rural women and men clarify their needs and resources, constraints and opportunities. But for development efforts to be truly beneficial in the long run, people's needs and priorities must also be considered in light of the total development context, many factors of which stem from outside the community. And this is where you come in -- as the bridge. Related articles Socio-economic and gender analysis (SEAGA) training tools in support of Household Resources Management by Ms Diana Tempelman Gender and Development FAO regional Office for Africa http://www.fao.org/sd/wpdirect/wpre0133c.htm Related links Socio-economic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA) web site http://www.fao.org/sd/seaga/index_en.htm SEAGA publications http://www.fao.org/sd/wpdirect/wpre0133c.htm Contact: Ilaria Sisto Gender and Development Service (SDWW) Gender and Population Division (SDW) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Ilaria.Sisto@fao.org

Addressing HIV/AIDS through Agriculture and Natural Resource Sectors: A guide for extension workers. by Socio-economic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA) Gender and Development Service (SDWW) Gender and Population Division (SDW) FAO Rome, 2004 Pages 80 http://www.fao.org/sd/dim_pe1/docs/pe1_050103d1_en.pdf The purpose of this guide is to enable extension workers and development agents to contribute to addressing the rural epidemic through agriculture and natural resource sector initiatives. The agriculture and natural resource sectors present a unique opportunity to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic in predominantly rural economies. Up to 80% of the population in some African countries depends on subsistence agriculture; crops, livestock and other natural resource products are the mainstay of the economy and export earnings; and agriculture, forestry and fisheries provide vital safety nets. In other regions of the world, the sectors still account for the livelihoods of a sizable proportion of the population, ranging from 50 - 60% in Asia to 15 - 30% in Latin America and the Caribbean. The impact of HIV/AIDS erodes the asset base of rural households, depletes their labour force, reduces their range of knowledge and skills, restricts their ability to earn cash from farming and non-farm activities, and undermines their ability to feed themselves and maintain adequate levels of nutrition. It is only recently that the rural dimension of the epidemic has being fully appreciated, as prevalence rates in rural communities gradually rise towards the urban thresholds. Hence extension services, with their unrivalled experience of working to improve nutrition and food security and strengthen rural livelihoods, have a major opportunity to contribute to addressing the rural epidemic. Related links Socio-economic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA) web site http://www.fao.org/sd/seaga/index_en.htm SEAGA publications http://www.fao.org/sd/seaga/main4_en.htm Contact: Ilaria Sisto Gender and Development Service (SDWW) Gender and Population Division (SDW) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Ilaria.Sisto@fao.org

Farmers' Life School Manual by UNDP, FAO and World Education UNDP South East Asia, January 2004 Pages 40 http://www.hiv-development.org/text/publications/FLS%20Manual.pdf This is a tool for facilitators of the Farmers' Life School who have graduated from a Farmers' Field School and a Farmers' Life School, by adult educators or NGOs and community-based organizations with experience in participatory learning and people interested in introducing the Farmers' Life School course into their own programmes. The Farmers' Life School can be used in either community-based programmes or it can be adapted for formal educational settings. The HIV/AIDS pandemic threatens to destroy the fabric of our society. Rural farming communities are particularly threatened and household security is at stake. Recognizing the warning signs in Asia, a joint initiative between the FAO-Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Programme and UNDP South East Asia HIV and Development Programme (UNDP-SEAHIV) resulted in the birth of the Farmers' Life School. It began in 2000 with a bold objective: from the poorest of rural farming communities of South-East Asia comes innovation by the farmers, for the farmers. This manual documents the empowerment process, through which farmers decide for themselves how to build their resilience, including resistance to HIV/AIDS risks. Today, this is a movement that is continuing to spread in other rural communities of Cambodia. This training manual is the outcome of the Farmers' Life School project, which was originally field tested in Cambodia and has generated considerable international interest. This manual was translated from the original developed by the farmers in the Khmer language for training in Cambodia. Therefore, the setting, Cambodia, and the focus of the manual, subsistence rice farmers, are culturally specific. Although some adaptation has been carried out to facilitate use by other countries, the specificity of this manual has been largely maintained. As a tool that has already been field tested, this manual will be useful as a basis for developing other culture-specific tools. In order to be fully accepted and understood, this manual should be adapted with the participation of local farmers. The purpose of publishing this manual is to share the Cambodian farmers' experience, which will stimulate thinking and the design of materials specific to each situation. It is not a ready-made recipe. For each community and country, the key to the success of a Farmers' Life School is to recognize the expertise of farmers and make them aware of their own expertise as valuable capital on which to build their resilience. Related links See the HIV/AIDS website http://www.fao.org/hivaids/ Responding to the orphan crisis (video) http://www.fao.org/hivaids/ Related articles Responding to the orphan crisis Fao News Room http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/index.html FAO Chimoio, Mozambique Junior Farmer Field and Life School Fao News Room http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/index.html FAO Rome, 1 December 2004 Contact: Carol Djeddah Population and Development Service (SDWP) Gender and Population Division (SDW) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Carol.djeddah@fao.org

LinKS project. by Gender and Development Service (SDWW) Gender and Population Division (SDW) FAO Set of fact sheets on Gender, Agrobiodiversity and Local Knowledge What is Agrobiodiversity? What is Local Knowledge? What is Gender? What is Food Security? Gender Dynamics and Agrobiodiversity Values and Benefits of Agrobiodiversity from a Gender perspective Recognizing Gender aspects in Agrobiodiversity Local Knowledge as part of Agrobiodiversity Challenges to Local Knowledge Shaping Local Knowledge and Agrobiodiversity: Policies, institutions and processes Gender, Biodiversity Loss and Conservation losing Ground: Gender relations, commercial Horticulture and Threats to local Plant Diversity in rural Mali The purpose of this guide is to enable extension workers and development agents to contribute to addressing the rural epidemic through agriculture and natural resource sector initiatives. These are training tools prepared mainly for extension workers or researchers from various NGOs, Government institutions and other organizations. The aim of these tools is to enhance the participants’ understanding of the role of rural men and women’s local knowledge and the importance of this knowledge for sustainable management of biodiversity and food security. The courses provide the participants with new skills and tools in gender analysis, participatory methods and communication techniques which they can apply in their daily work. Participants explore questions as: what is local knowledge, biodiversity, gender, participation and how are these issues linked with each other. The LinKS project is a regional effort in Southern Africa aimed at raising awareness about how rural men and women use and manage biological diversity. The project is called LinKS, because it is exploring the linkages between the crucial issues of local knowledge systems, gender roles and relationships, food provision, and the conservation and management of agrobiodiversity. The objective of the LinKS project is to make development practitioners recognize that farmers have knowledge, practices and skills highly sustainable and respectful of the natural ecosystems they depend on for their food and livelihoods. The strategy for LinKS project activities is to build on, and add value to, the ongoing work of selected partner organizations. The overall goal of the project is to enhance rural people’s food security and promote sustainable management of agro-biodiversity by strengthening the capacity of institutions in the agricultural sector to apply approaches that recognise men and women farmers’ knowledge in their programmes and policies. The LinKS project is administered from FAO headquarters in Rome and it works in close collaboration with several international partners. These partners help the project by offering training opportunities, supporting research activities and providing communication and mainstreaming possibilities. Project activities are backstopped from Rome, research results are compiled and disseminated in form of reports, case studies, leaflets, video films to the different partner institutions, but also within FAO. Related link LinKS project website http://www.fao.org/sd/LINKS/default.html LinKS activities in capacity building and training; research and communication. http://www.fao.org/sd/LINKS/activities/activities.html SEAGA project website http://www.fao.org/sd/seaga/index_en.htm Paper and publications http://www.fao.org/sd/LINKS/news/news.html Seminars and workshops http://www.fao.org/sd/LINKS/activities/activities.html The leaflet for "Sharing the knowledge"download pdf or jpg file for poster, leaflet and VHS coversheet http://www.fao.org/sd/LINKS/resources/resources.html Sharing the Knowledge (Video: English, 12 minutes) Filmed in Zimbabwe and Tanzania, this video highlights the important role that the local knowledge of rural men and women plays in their daily lives. Moreover, the video illustrates the importance of maintaining and sharing this knowledge base at a global level. Some examples of this type of local knowledge shown in the video include how people use medicinal plants for human and animal health care, their selection and breeding of livestock suited to the local environment, and rural farmers' preference for many local varieties of seeds over improved commercial seeds. This knowledge has an immense importance today for rural communities in Tanzania and Zimbabwe, as in other countries around the world. Wild plants found near villages provide people with a local source of medicines, and locally adapted plant varieties and animal breeds can help communities survive during times of hardship. But even more importantly, local plant varieties and animal breeds provide the biological base for world food security. For example, all improved commercial crop plant varieties stem from material that was originally developed by farmers. Please click here to view the video or the World Bank's Indigenous Knowledge web site Contact: Regina Laub-Fischer Gender and Development Service (SDWW) Gender and Population Division (SDW) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Regina.laub@fao.org

Rural Finance Learning Centre by Heney, Jennifer Agricultural Management, Marketing and Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Rome, 2004 English, French and Spanish www.ruralfinance.org This is a tool for facilitators of the Farmers' Life School who have graduated from a Farmers' Field School and a Farmers' Life School, by adult educators or NGOs and community-based organizations with experience in participatory learning and people interested in introducing the Farmers' Life School course into their own programmes. The Farmers' Life School can be used in either community-based programmes or it can be adapted for formal educational settings. The website is dedicated to providing access to the best materials for capacity building in the field of rural finance. Rural finance is about providing financial services such as deposit and money transfer facilities, insurance and loan products, for people living in rural areas. Finding ways to increase the availability of appropriate financial services in rural areas is a challenge. Perceptions of high costs and high risk divert banks from operating in rural areas and micro finance institutions face difficulties dealing with highly seasonal farm incomes, uneven demands for credit and a dispersed clientele. To assist organisations seeking ways to increase the availability of rural financial services, the Rural Finance Learning Centre contains a database of resources organised into topics, online self study lessons and session guides for training programmes. Users of the Learning Centre can suggest new resources, take part in discussions and find out about training opportunities and events related to rural finance. The emphasis is on sharing experiences and providing information about useful innovations. Related articles by FAO News Room http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/index.html FAO Rome,18 November 2004 http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2004/51590/index.html Contact: Heney, Jennifer Agricultural Management, Marketing and Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Jenifer.heney@fao.org

Understanding and using MARKET Information. by Marketing and Rural Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Rome, 2003 English, French, Spanish http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/subjects/en/agmarket/understanding.html This is a tool for facilitators of the Farmers' Life School who have graduated from a Farmers' Field School and a Farmers' Life School, by adult educators or NGOs and community-based organizations with experience in participatory learning and people interested in introducing the Farmers' Life School course into their own programmes. The Farmers' Life School can be used in either community-based programmes or it can be adapted for formal educational settings. This Guide been prepared to assist extension workers and others in regular contact with farming communities, to advise farmers on how best to use market information. The Guide emphasizes the necessity to understand why farmers need information, how they can use it and benefit from its use, and what the available sources of market information are. Why prices change, both in the short term and in the long term, how to interpret prices provided by a market information service, and how to calculate marketing costs between farmer and market are also covered. In addition, the Guide provides a number of practical ways in which extension officers and others throughout the world can work to improve their support to farmers’ marketing efforts. Related links Agricultural Support Systems Division website http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/index.html More Marketing Extension Guides http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/resources/en/marketExtension.html Contact: Andrew W.Shepherd Marketing and Rural Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Andrew.Shepherd@fao.org

Planning and designing RURAL MARKETS: Marketing Extension Guide. By John Tracey-White Marketing and Rural Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Rome, 2003 English, French, Spanish http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/subjects/en/agmarket/rural.html pdf http://www.fao.org/ag/AGS/subjects/en/agmarket/ruralmarkets.pdf This is a tool for facilitators of the Farmers' Life School who have graduated from a Farmers' Field School and a Farmers' Life School, by adult educators or NGOs and community-based organizations with experience in participatory learning and people interested in introducing the Farmers' Life School course into their own programmes. The Farmers' Life School can be used in either community-based programmes or it can be adapted for formal educational settings. This Guide is designed to assist community planners, rural engineers and agricultural extension units to formulate and implement relevant market-development plans. Upgrading rural markets is one way to improve access to marketing opportunities. The issues covered in this Guide include: - designing markets that meet a community’s social and economic needs; - working with communities to identify the marketing problems and to choose a site for a new market; - using appropriate and simple methods to survey and plan the site layout and to design market buildings; - preparing a market development proposal and making budget estimates; - undertaking simple social and economic feasibility studies; - looking for financing and constructing the market; - managing, operating and maintaining the market. Related links Agricultural Support Systems Division website http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/index.html More Marketing Extension Guides http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/index.html Contact: Andrew W.Shepherd Marketing and Rural Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Andrew.Shepherd@fao.org

A guide to MARKETING COSTS and how to calculate them. by Andrew Shepherd Marketing and Rural Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Rome, 1993 http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/u8770e/u8770e00.htm This is a tool for facilitators of the Farmers' Life School who have graduated from a Farmers' Field School and a Farmers' Life School, by adult educators or NGOs and community-based organizations with experience in participatory learning and people interested in introducing the Farmers' Life School course into their own programmes. The Farmers' Life School can be used in either community-based programmes or it can be adapted for formal educational settings. This Guide explains basic concepts of agricultural marketing costs and marketing margins. Farmers seeking to produce new crops need to be aware not only of their likely production costs but also of the costs of marketing these crops. Extension workers need to be able to advise them on such matters. In identifying the main types of marketing costs,the Guide provides brief advice on how to calculate them and discuss the interpretation of marketing margins. The aim of the Guide is to correct some of the widely held misundestandings over marketing costs and it will be particularly useful to marketing officers and extension workers who are called upon to advise farmers on marketing and prices. Moreover, governments officials concerned with monitoring the efficiency of agricultural markets can have, thank to the Guide, a full vision of marketing costs and margins. Related links Agricultural Support Systems Division website http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/index.html More Marketing Extension Guides http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/resources/en/marketExtension.html Horticultural marketing - a resource and training manual for extension officers Agriculture/FAO Agricultural Services (AGS) Bulletins No 76 http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/S8270E/S8270E00.htm Contact: Andrew W.Shepherd Marketing and Rural Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Andrew.Shepherd@fao.org

MARKET Research for agro processors: Marketing Extension Guide. By John Tracey-White Marketing and Rural Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Rome, 1993 English, French, Spanish http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/subjects/en/agmarket/research.html pdf http://www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/agricult/ags/AGSM/markres.pdf This is a tool for facilitators of the Farmers' Life School who have graduated from a Farmers' Field School and a Farmers' Life School, by adult educators or NGOs and community-based organizations with experience in participatory learning and people interested in introducing the Farmers' Life School course into their own programmes. The Farmers' Life School can be used in either community-based programmes or it can be adapted for formal educational settings. This Guide describes, in fairly simple terms, the market research that agro processors can carry out, and some of the ways of doing such research. Market research is essential before embarking on any agro processing venture. It is addressed to entrepreneurs and companies who are planning to develop medium sized agro processing business. It is also intended to be used by banks who need to understand the potential market before lending for agro processing, by consulting firms and individuals offering market research services in developing countries. Extension workers and NGOs who are supporting rural processing ventures could also use parts of this Guide Related links Agricultural Support Systems Division website http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/index.html More Marketing Extension Guides http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/resources/en/marketExtension.html Contact: Andrew W.Shepherd Marketing and Rural Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Andrew.Shepherd@fao.org

A Guide to MAIZE MARKETING for extension officers: Marketing Extension Guide. by Andrew Shepherd Marketing and Rural Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Rome, 1999 English, French, Spanish http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/subjects/en/agmarket/maize.html This Guide has been designed to be used by extension officers working with small farmers in those African countries that liberalized in the 1990s their maize marketing system. As a result of the move away from marketing by grain boards, extension officers will have to develop new skills. They will need to advise farmers on what crops to grow, on how and where to sell their crops and how to store them. They will also need to answer farmers’ questions about prices, about where to store their crops or sell them immediately and how to pay for them. Extension workers can play an important role in ensuring that marketing systems work to the benefit of both farmers and consumers and promote food security. As it covers the basic principles of private sector grain marketing, as well as on-farm crop drying and storage, this Guide should also be valuable for extension workers elsewhere in Africa. Related links Agricultural Support Systems Division website http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/index.html More Marketing Extension Guides http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/resources/en/marketExtension.html Contact: Andrew W.Shepherd, Marketing and Rural Finance Service (AGSF) Agricultural Support Systems Division (AGS) FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Andrew.Shepherd@fao.org

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