12 May 2022 

The characteristics of the agroecological transition require transforming the way farmers are accompanied in their changes of practices and production systems. Farmer Field Schools (FFS) are relevant participatory mechanisms for this, as they increase farmers' capacity to experiment, produce knowledge and build innovations themselves. However, there is a need to ensure the quality of implementation of these schemes, which has implications for research and development actors.
This webinar shares the findings of joint work by FAO, French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) and Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (AVSF) illustrated with three examples of field school programmes from Togo, Mali and India.

Simultaneous interpretation in English and French will be available.

Agenda

11:00 –11:10

Welcoming participants to the meeting and opening remarks.

11:10 –11:45

Field schools for the support of Agroecological Transition by Teatske Bakker, a researcher in systemic agronomy at the UMR Innovation at CIRAD focusing on:

• presentation of the field schools in Togo 
• effects observed for farmers (trajectories of change in practices) 
• recommendations for the conduct of field schools to support the Agroecological Transition
• Questions & Answers.

11:45 –12:15

Evidence of the implementation of field schools in Mali and first results of the plots by Marc Chapon, National Coordinator for AVSF in Mali focusing on: 

• presentation of the field schools system
• first results of the plots and perspectives
• Questions & Answers.

12:15 –12:40

Field schools for Agroecological Discovery Learning in the Natural Farming Program in Andhra Pradesh by Anne-Sophie Poisot, Coordinator of the Global Farmer Field School Platform, FAO and Dharmendar Gogu, Thematic Training Coordinator - RySS, Government of Andhra Pradesh, India

Presentation of the video: Empowering rural communities through farmer field schools and agroecology

Questions & Answers.

12:40-12:45

Presentation of the Agroecology and Farmer Field Schools stocktaking by Zoé Despretz, Co-facilitator of the Global Farmer Field Schools Platform, FAO.

12:45 –13:00

Conclusion and closing remarks.