Yesterday, FAO Headquarters in Rome hosted the Farmer Field Schools Innovation Award Ceremony, a hybrid event part of the Science and Innovation Forum. It celebrated the groundbreaking innovations emerging from farmer field schools around the world. The spotlight was on producers—showcasing their creativity, resilience, and determination—and demonstrating that rural communities are central to shaping the future of sustainable agrifood systems.

The event's highlight? Three visionary projects were honored with the first-ever Farmer Field Schools Innovation Award, showcasing inspiring work that left the audience motivated by the power of farmer-led solutions.

One remarkable project came from Egypt, where FAO Egypt, represented by Ahmed Diab, introduced the Field School for Deaf and Mute Farmers, “The Sound of Silence.” With the laureates Khaled Mohamed, a deaf and mute farmer, and his wife Nehmedo Riad AbdelHamied, who interpreted from sign language to Arabic, they demonstrated how this inclusive model empowers producers who often face barriers.

Uganda’s Development in Gardening (DIG) was awarded for their transformative project supporting the displaced Batwa indigenous group. Gloria Mushabe presented how the initiative helps the community harvest and market wild forest species, highlighting how farmer field schools can empower marginalized groups and restore livelihoods in challenging environments. The audience was inspired by this project's potential to drive positive change.

Another award was presented tothe farmer Abdullah Tobal—who couldn’t attend in person—and FAO Syria, represented by Nayel Tawfiq AlKawalit and Alfredo Impiglia. They showcased Abdullah’s innovation, born out of necessity: repurposing ammunition boxes into a fodder compressor. This creative solution, transforming symbols of conflict into tools for agricultural regeneration, demonstrated the resilience and ingenuity of local producers in rebuilding their communities.

The award ceremony, opened by FAO’s Chief Scientist Beth Crawford, set an exciting tone for the event, which continued with a panel discussion when Stephen Sherwood from Eko-Rural and Anamika Dey from GIAN, India, discussed how farmer field schools act as catalysts for innovation, sparking local agricultural revolutions beyond just farming.

Financing grassroots innovation was another key focus of the day. Nana Prempeh from Grow for Me and Martin Selmayr Ambassador of the European Union shared valuable insights on how alternative finance models, such as crowdfunding, can help producers scale their innovative projects and create lasting impact. Martin emphasized the crucial role that community-driven innovation plays in creating sustainable agricultural systems. He highlighted how the European Union is committed to supporting grassroots innovations, and the importance of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) as key drivers of this change.

Throughout the event, the artist Srinivas Mangipudi worked on a live art installation using recycled cardboard boxes and chalks. materials, he built a dynamic vision of the Future of Farmer Field Schools, capturing the spirit of innovation in a unique and visual way.

To close the ceremony, Vincent Martin, Director of FAO’s Office of Innovation, launched the New Ambition for Farmer Field Schools. This vision focuses on regenerating agroecosystems, fostering entrepreneurship, and transforming gender and social norms to unlock equal opportunities. The goal is not only to scale out farmer field schools to reach more producers but to scale deep, changing mindsets and institutions to drive sustainable impact.

The Farmer Field Schools Innovation Award Ceremony was a resounding success, celebrating the power of farmer-led innovation and providing a platform to showcase creative solutions to today’s agrifood challenges. The laureates offer a glimpse of a sustainable future, driven by producers who are leading the way.

The recording of this wonderful event can be found here: https://www.fao.org/webcast/home/en/item/6828/icode/. 

And this is just the beginning! 🌱🚀