 Feeding fodder to cows increases - IFAD/R. Chalasani |
With a grant from IFAD, FAO is implementing a pilot project for farmer field schools in Kenya, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Farmer field schools use participatory hands-on learning techniques and have been operating for many years in Asia, where they were originally designed for the promotion of integrated pest management.
The techniques of participatory discovery learning applied by the schools raise farmers' understanding of the basic scientific processes taking place in the fields. As they learn more about what determines farm performance, and about technical and management options for improving this, small and marginalized farmers are empowered. Their empowerment is a vital strand in the effort to reduce food insecurity and enhance sustainable land use.
The schools are proving an effective alternative approach to agricultural extension and the approach is currently being incorporated in IFAD's new projects in Tanzania and Uganda.
The overall objective of the FAO/IFAD project is to expand the capacity of governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to respond to farmers' needs for knowledge and information that will enable them to upgrade their farming systems.