Basic Concepts and Principles

The educational concepts underpinning the FFS approach are drawn from adult non-formal education.
These concepts have been found to be relevant across countries and cultures in which the FFS approach
has been used, and have proven to be empowering for farmers.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS

The main characteristics of FFS are:

 Learning occurs predominantly in farmers’ fields (e.g. in a maize plot, orchard or pasture) i.e. the
field becomes the classroom.
 Emphasis is on practical work carried out by the farmers themselves, e.g. observations, comparisons,
exercises, experiments, demonstrations and visits.
 Farmers are exposed to new ideas and technologies through visits to farms, experimental stations
and projects.
 Problem-cause and cause-effect relationships are highlighted.
 Farmers test ideas to validate or reject concepts.
 Technologies must be validated and adapted to local conditions rather than merely adopting
recommended technological “recipes”.
 Learning builds upon farmers’ traditional knowledge and experience whenever possible.
 Activities are related to cropping seasons when relevant.
 Lectures and teaching are reduced to a minimum.
 Course contents are flexible and address farmer needs.
 Topics to be learned should be derived from farmers’ problems and opportunities.
 Farmers influence what they learn.
 Materials are highly visual as many farmers may be illiterate.
 Emphasis is on group activities and group discussions.
 All participants are expected to contribute ideas and information to discussions.

2.3 BENEFITS OF THE FARMER FIELD SCHOOL APPROACH

The FFS approach enables farmers to acquire knowledge of the principles of good production and land and
animal husbandry, which can be adapted to any situation: thus farmers learn how to adapt to changing
circumstances.

Other benefits of FFS are:

 Farmers become more competent in taking management decisions, rather than merely following
instructions given in extension messages.
 Farmers gain self-confidence as a result of learning to solve their own problems.
  Farmers gain social confidence and greater ability to participate in public life.
 Farmers become more self-reliant, more protagonist in their attitude to development, and less
dependent on extension services for advice.
 Farmers frequently introduce learning activities to other farmers who have not attended a FFS and
so extend the concepts.
 Farmer-to-farmer relationships improve by working together as a group.
 Farmers become accustomed to working in a group and become motivated to form associations for
the benefit of the community, e.g. credit unions, marketing associations and water organizations.
 Improvements in community development may be catalyzed.
 Through the adult learning principles characteristic of FFS, farmers are better able to cope with new
problems and take advantage of new opportunities, and so become more capable of sustaining the
productivity of their farms.

2.4 IMPLEMENTATION OF FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS

The steps generally followed in the implementation of FFS programmes are illustrated in Fig. 2.1 below.

Curriculum Development
 State specific production and protection
management steps for focus crops/livestock
 Compile available resource materials on
production and protection methods for focus
crops/livestock
 Draft a curriculum including syllabus, daily
schedule, field studies and FFS group schedules

Training of Trainers (TOTs)

 Technically sound facilitator training

Farmer Field Schools

 Basic field course

 Group organization
 Research methods

Community Action

 Clubs, etc.
 Farmer-to-farmer (F-to-F) visits and training, etc.