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The breeding objectives and activities of a Farmer Field School (FFS) season are based on the ‘diagnostic stage’, in which farmers perform a collective diagnosis of their situation and the problems and challenges they encounter in growing their crops and varieties. The diagnostic stage is crucial to ensure that the [...]

In this module we will prepare the Farmer Field School (FFS) site and the plots of land on which we will do the fieldwork and testing of lines for the next season. The way we design the plots and allocate each of the lines that we sow should minimize the [...]

This manual provides instructions and background for the SD=HS Training of Trainers (ToT) courses. In these courses (which mostly take up around three weeks), trainers are prepared to facilitate a season of Farmer Field School activities on Participatory Plant Breeding. Topics include the organisation of a Farmer Field School, the [...]

Key guidelines and advice on effectively and sustainably managing FAW include: Visit the field and look at the status of the crop: its health and signs of presence of the FAW. Farmers can take direct action by crushing egg masses and young larvae. FAW damage can look alarming, but maize plants have [...]

Video recorded during the webinar organized by FAO and Dgroups on 22 March 2018 explaining the role of discussion groups to strengthen practitioners' networks and exchange of knowldge.

In this interview, Sowing Diversity=Harvesting Security (SD=HS) Program Leader Gigi Manicad explains the principles of Farmer Field Schools, the role of women as managers of biodiversity, and the way the program strengthens smallholder farmers to articulate their needs to influence policies.

The third progress report presents results, achievements, challenges and financial updates from the period 1 April 2016 until 31 March 2017. The document reports both on the SD=HS program and the GROW campaign.

The guide results from the accumulated lessons of many resource persons in many countries on supporting farmer field schools (FFS) in learning and adaptive management for sustainable land and water management. FAO supported the capacity development process through field projects and the field work that underlies the guide was conducted [...]