Advancing sustainable agricultural mechanization through farmer field schools for small-scale producers
OPEN WEBINAR SERIES
Advancing sustainable agricultural mechanization
through farmer field schools for small-scale producers
Friday, 07November 2025 | 10:30 – 12:00 CET
Dear colleagues,
Join us for the third session of the FAO webinar series on Advancing Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization through Farmer Field Schools for small-scale producers.
About the webinar series
Starting July 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is launching a brand-new webinar series as part of theGlobal Innovation Accelerator on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (SAM) through Farmer Field Schools (FFS) for small scale producers.
Why this matters?
Although Farmer Field Schools (FFS) approaches have empowered millions of small-scale producers worldwide, the integration of SAM within this approach remains largely untapped. As small-scale producers face mounting challenges — from labour shortages and low productivity to limited access to appropriate technologies and growing climate pressures — SAM offers practical, scalable solutions to enhance efficiency and incomes, reduce drudgery, diversify farming systems and strengthen resilience.
As part of the Global Innovation Accelerator, the third webinar in the series “Empowering rural economies: mechanization and business innovation through FFS and SAM’’ will explore how SAM can be integrated into the FFS approach by showcasing practical technologies, innovative business models and real-world experiences from countries already advancing this work. Together, we aim to open new pathways to empower smallholders, enhance livelihoods and build more sustainable and climate-smart agri-food systems.
Webinar objectives
- Explore entry points for promoting businesseslinked to SAM through FFS.
- Share examples of different employment created when promoting SAM in rural communities.
- Present the role of mechanization support services such as mechanics and agro dealers in ensuring the sustainability of SAM interventions.
- Facilitate cross-regional learning and exchange of best practices fromAfrica and Asia on smallholder mechanization and related businesses.
Organized by:
FAO’s Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (SAM) team of the Plant Production and Protection Division(NSP) and the Global FFS Platformof theOffice of Innovation(OIN). This initiative supports the FAO’s Strategic Framework for Better Production, Better Life, and a Better Environment.
Programme
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10:30 - 10:35 |
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10:35 - 10:50 |
Sunita Nhemaphuki, Vice-President of Nepal Agricultural Machinery Entrepreneurs' Association (NAMEA) |
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10:50 – 11:05 |
Venkata Lakshmi Bharathi, Training Coordinator, Bangladesh (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre – CIMMYT) |
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11:05 – 11:20 |
Valérie Kpasaossou, Secretary of the soybean processing cooperative, Benin Q&A by Rodrigue Gohoungbe, Field Programme Assistant FAO Benin |
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11:20 – 11:35 |
Brunyck Bonou, The National Agricultural Mechanization Society (SoNaMA) Cristina Scarpocchi, Project Officer Food Systems and Food Safety Division, FAO Agricultural Development and Market Access Support Project (PADAAM, Benin) |
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11:35 – 11:55 |
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11:55 – 12:00 |
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The event will be moderated by Mayling Flores Rojas, Agricultural Engineer, Plant Production and Protection Division, and Jan Willem Ketelaar, FFS & Innovation Specialist, Office of Innovation, FAO.
📢 The event will be conducted in English.
We look forward to your participation!
Best regards,
The Global Innovation Accelerator Team