Farmer field schools on integrated plant nutrient systems
Type: Approaches
Creation: 2009-01-19 00:00 Updated: 2017-06-28 16:33
Compilers: Richard Allen
Reviewers: Laura Ebneter
Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied
- Country: Nepal
- Region/ State/ Province: Midhills
- Map: View Map
Description of the SLM Approach
Short description of the Approach
Participatory and collaborative learning through the farmer field school approach
Detailed description of the Approach
There are different ways of carrying out agricultural extension. Farmer field schools represent a participatory approach that directly reaches farmers and addresses their day-to-day problems. The concept of farmer field schools builds on the belief that farmers are the main source of knowledge and experience in carrying out farm operations, in contrast to conventional top-down approaches that place most value on scientists' findings. The term 'farmer field schools' came from the Indonesian expression 'sekolah lapangan' which means 'field school'. It is a group based learning approach, which brings together concepts and method of agro-ecology, experiential education, and community development. The first field schools were established in 1989 in central Java when 50 plant protection officers tested and developed field training methods as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) training of trainers course. Two hundred field schools were established in that season involving 5,000 farmers. The following season, in 1990, an additional 45,000 farmers joined field schools run by 450 crop protection officers.
The same approach is being used in Nepal's integrated pest management programme. Several consultation meetings and workshops were held at national level to put the integrated nutrient management concept into practice. These meetings led to farmer field schools being recognised as an appropriate approach for putting this concept into practice. The approach was piloted in 2000 and 2001 and fully initiated in 2002 when 32 farmer field schools were run with support from SSMP. As far as SSMP knows, farmer field schools on integrated plant nutrient systems have been run since SSMP's involvement. The Government of Nepal's National Fertiliser Policy now recognises integrated plant nutrient systems as a concept to improve the efficient use of different nutrient inputs, and farmer field schools as an appropriate technology and extension approach for soil and plant nutrient management in Nepal. So far some 226 farmer field schools have been run in Nepal on integrated plant nutrient systems reaching more than 5,000 households.
Photos of the Approach
- 📷 Steffen Schulz