Innovating with Farmer Field Schools to Accelerate Transitions Toward Sustainable, Resilient and Fair Agrifood Systems

Innovation in agriculture does not only emerge from research laboratories or policy think tanks, it grows in farmers’ fields, through collaboration, experimentation, and shared learning. For more than 35 years, Farmer Field Schools (FFS) have empowered farmers around the world to become innovators, co-creators of knowledge, and drivers of transformation in their communities.

A new FAO publication, “Innovating with Farmer Field Schools to Accelerate Transitions Toward Sustainable, Resilient and Fair Agrifood Systems,” highlights how FFS can serve as powerful engines of innovation. Drawing from decades of experience and the results of the 2024 FFS Innovation Award, the brief showcases how rural producers are reshaping agrifood systems through practical, locally rooted solutions.

From learning spaces to innovation hubs

Farmer Field Schools were designed as participatory learning environments where producers test ideas, share experiences, and make informed decisions together. Over time, these spaces have evolved into innovation ecosystems, where new technologies, practices, and services are born and adapted to diverse contexts, from sustainable pest management and improved livestock systems to inclusive value chains and climate-smart farming practices.

The publication identifies three main pathways to innovate with FFS:

• Innovations through FFS, where the approach helps scale existing solutions by adapting them to local contexts.
• Innovations in FFS, improving how the approach itself is implemented to enhance participation and inclusion.
• Innovations from FFS, where farmers and communities design new solutions directly from their field experiences.

Showcasing farmer-led innovations

The 2024 FFS Innovation Award attracted 90 applications from 35 countries, revealing the depth and creativity of farmer-led innovation. The winning cases demonstrate how FFS promote technical and process innovations, but also new services, governance models, and community-based solutions.

FAO has now published a set of factsheets documenting these experiences:

1. The Sound of Silence – Egypt (Kharga Oasis, New Valley Governorate) – Read here
2. Tools of War, Hands of Hope – The Syrian Arab Republic (Aleppo Governorate) – Read here
3. Reclaiming Roots – Farmer Field Schools with the Batwa in Uganda – Read here
4. Seeds of Resilience – Participatory Plant Breeding and the Use of Local Food Plants for Improved Nutrition through FFS – Read here
5. Biodigesters and Women’s Empowerment in Honduras – A Circular Innovation through Farmer Field and Business Schools – Read here
6. Smart Projectors in Karamoja – Breaking Literacy Barriers in Producer Training – Read here
7. Science in Producers’ Hands – The Sayapatri Community IPM Resource Center in Nepal – Read here

These experiences show that innovation thrives when farmers lead the way. From inclusive learning environments for people with disabilities in Egypt, to women-led circular economy models in Honduras and participatory seed breeding in Africa, FFS continue to drive progress toward sustainable and equitable food systems.

Farmer Field Schools nurture a culture of experimentation and learning that is essential to address today’s global challenges by combining scientific knowledge with local practices — from climate change to biodiversity loss and rural inequality.

As FAO marks more than three decades of Farmer Field Schools, the message is clear: Innovation also starts in the field.