Monitoring, evaluation and learning in farmer field school programmes
The Farmer Field School (FFS) approach is based on people-centred learning. Participatory methods create an environment conducive to learning: the participants can exchange knowledge and experience in a risk free setting. Practical field exercises using direct observation, discussion and decision making encourage learning-by-doing. The field is the space where local knowledge and outside scientific insights are tested, validated and integrated, in the context of local ecosystem and socio-economic settings. A growing range of technical topics are being addressed through FFS: soil, crop and water management, seeds multiplication and varietal testing, IPM, agropastoralism, aquaculture, agroforestry, nutrition, value chain, and link to markets, etc.
FAO and other development organizations have been promoting FFS to address a broad range of problems and technical domains in over 90 countries.
The monitoring, evaluation and learning in farmer field school programmes: A framework and toolkit focuses on the implementation phase of farmer field school programmes and provides guidance and tools that will help farmer field schools to bring about the change expected by the programme and the communities it supports, by setting up a robust monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) system. It also introduces impact assessment as an integral management function linked to monitoring, evaluation and learning in FFS programmes.