ILRIInternational Livestock Research Institute
Livestock Farmer Field Schools (FFS) Integrated Livestock ManagementIntegrated Livestock Management
Bruno Minjauw, Gertrude Buyu & Dannie RomneyBruno Minjauw, Gertrude Buyu & Dannie Romney [email protected]
A different research A different research approachapproach
Participatory data collectionParticipatory data collection
Knowledge generationKnowledge generation
Information disseminationInformation dissemination
The farmers, the extension The farmers, the extension officers and researchers officers and researchers are all stakeholders, are all stakeholders, participating from the participating from the initiation of the research initiation of the research
(Lovell et al., 2002)(Lovell et al., 2002)
FFS are based on an FFS are based on an innovative, participatory innovative, participatory and interactive learning and interactive learning approach in which farmers approach in which farmers are empowered to direct are empowered to direct the learning processthe learning process
Focus groups of 25-35 Focus groups of 25-35 farmers with common farmers with common interestsinterests
Weekly meetings of 3-4 Weekly meetings of 3-4 hourshours
A grant or loan of 600 USD A grant or loan of 600 USD to finance their activities to finance their activities and the facilitation costsand the facilitation costs
FFS MethodologyFFS Methodology
To enhance farmer’s capacity To enhance farmer’s capacity to analyse their production to analyse their production systems and to identify their systems and to identify their main constraintsmain constraints
To test possible solutions To test possible solutions suitable to their farming suitable to their farming systems using comparative systems using comparative experimentsexperiments
Build on existing knowledge Build on existing knowledge enabling farmers to adapt enabling farmers to adapt and/or adopt existing or new and/or adopt existing or new technologies, so that they technologies, so that they become more responsive to become more responsive to changing conditions and take changing conditions and take advantage of emerging advantage of emerging opportunities opportunities
FFS ObjectivesFFS Objectives
Agro-ecological analysis (AESA)Agro-ecological analysis (AESA)Systematic observationSystematic observationProblem identificationProblem identificationIntroduction of recording Introduction of recording systems & analyses of changesystems & analyses of change
Participatory Technology Participatory Technology Development (PTD)Development (PTD)
Design comparative studies to Design comparative studies to test possible solutions or test possible solutions or available technologiesavailable technologies
Special topicsSpecial topicsEnsure demand led information Ensure demand led information disseminationdisseminationOpportunities for non-livestock Opportunities for non-livestock related issuesrelated issues
FFS TechniquesFFS Techniques
Acknowledgements: All colleagues from the Ministry of Agriculture, ILRI, DFID-AHP and FAO and Dr Nancy McCarthy from IFPRI. Acknowledgements: All colleagues from the Ministry of Agriculture, ILRI, DFID-AHP and FAO and Dr Nancy McCarthy from IFPRI.
The FFS approach was The FFS approach was developed by FAO in South developed by FAO in South East Asia in the late 80’s for East Asia in the late 80’s for small-scale rice farmers to small-scale rice farmers to investigate and learn for investigate and learn for themselves the skills themselves the skills required for, and the required for, and the benefits to be obtained benefits to be obtained from, adopting integrated from, adopting integrated pest management (IPM) pest management (IPM) practices in their paddy practices in their paddy fields.fields.
During the 1990’s an During the 1990’s an estimated 2 million farmers estimated 2 million farmers were trained in South and were trained in South and South East Asia (Pontius South East Asia (Pontius et alet al., 2000).., 2000).
In Africa, FAO is currently In Africa, FAO is currently working in over a dozen working in over a dozen countries from Senegal to countries from Senegal to South Africa (Simpson & South Africa (Simpson & Owens, 2002).Owens, 2002).
Farmer Field SchoolsFarmer Field Schools
Participatory epidemiology is Participatory epidemiology is based on participatory based on participatory techniques for the harvesting techniques for the harvesting of qualitative epidemiological of qualitative epidemiological data contained within data contained within community observations, community observations, existing veterinary knowledge existing veterinary knowledge and traditional oral historyand traditional oral history
Participatory epidemiology Participatory epidemiology techniques integrated in the techniques integrated in the training of trainer course training of trainer course
Increase awareness of disease Increase awareness of disease prevalenceprevalence
Better understanding of the Better understanding of the farmer’s perception of farmer’s perception of disease riskdisease risk
Participatory Participatory EpidemiologyEpidemiology
FFS PrinciplesFFS Principles
What is relevant and What is relevant and meaningful is decided by the meaningful is decided by the learner and must be learner and must be discovered by the learnerdiscovered by the learner
Learning is a consequence of Learning is a consequence of experienceexperience
Cooperative approaches are Cooperative approaches are enablingenabling
Learning is an evolutionary Learning is an evolutionary process with open process with open communication, confrontation, communication, confrontation, acceptance, respect and the acceptance, respect and the right to makes mistakesright to makes mistakes
Each person’s experience of Each person’s experience of reality is uniquereality is unique
Lessons learned and outcomesLessons learned and outcomes• Better understanding of the modalities Better understanding of the modalities of the FFS methodology and livestock of the FFS methodology and livestock extension policiesextension policies• Hands on experience in creating an Hands on experience in creating an environment where the poor are able to environment where the poor are able to test and adapt technologies, with test and adapt technologies, with opportunities to feed back to researchersopportunities to feed back to researchers• Recognition of ILRI as an actor in Recognition of ILRI as an actor in developing extension methodologiesdeveloping extension methodologiesAdoption of the livestock Adoption of the livestock methodologymethodology• Kenyan Development Dairy Project: Land Kenyan Development Dairy Project: Land O’ Lakes funded by USAIDO’ Lakes funded by USAID• Special programme for Food Security Special programme for Food Security (FAO) in Lesotho and Swaziland(FAO) in Lesotho and Swaziland• Farming In Tsetse Control Area (FITCA) Farming In Tsetse Control Area (FITCA) projects (Uganda ,Kenya and Tanzania)projects (Uganda ,Kenya and Tanzania)• CABI (Swiss grant project): Community CABI (Swiss grant project): Community Based Sustainable Resource Management Based Sustainable Resource Management Project in PakistanProject in Pakistan
Recognition as a relevant Recognition as a relevant partnerpartner
New Scientific collaborationsNew Scientific collaborations• International Trypanotolerant Centre,International Trypanotolerant Centre,The GambiaThe Gambia• Institut Sénégalais de recherches agricoles Institut Sénégalais de recherches agricoles (ISRA), Sénégal(ISRA), Sénégal• Ministère de l’Agriculture et de L’ élevage, Ministère de l’Agriculture et de L’ élevage, BeninBenin• Dept. Vet. Parasit., Makerere University, Dept. Vet. Parasit., Makerere University, UgandaUganda • Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Dept. of Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Dept. of Animal Health and Welfare, DenmarkAnimal Health and Welfare, Denmark
• Network for Smallholder Poultry Network for Smallholder Poultry Development, DANIDADevelopment, DANIDA• VETAID:VETAID:'Mitigating the Effects of HIV/AIDS 'Mitigating the Effects of HIV/AIDS on Food Security and Agriculture in Eastern on Food Security and Agriculture in Eastern and Southern Africa‘,and Southern Africa‘, November 2003, November 2003, Mozambique Mozambique • Agricultural Support Programme (ASP) Agricultural Support Programme (ASP) Kenya, Kenya, DANIDADANIDA.. “ “Working participatory – Working participatory – not a change of methods but of attitude”not a change of methods but of attitude”,, January 2004January 2004,, Kenya Kenya
Livestock FFS projectLivestock FFS project
• 3 year project funded by 3 year project funded by DFID-AHP and FAODFID-AHP and FAO
• Under the umbrella of the Under the umbrella of the Smallholder Dairy Project Smallholder Dairy Project (MoA/KARI/ILRI).(MoA/KARI/ILRI).
• Objective: Test and adapt Objective: Test and adapt the FFS methodology for the FFS methodology for livestock purposes taking livestock purposes taking the smallholder dairy the smallholder dairy production system as an production system as an example.example.
• Twenty-four livestock FFS Twenty-four livestock FFS with similar characteristics with similar characteristics and interests in dairy and interests in dairy production were production were established in five different established in five different agro-ecological zones in agro-ecological zones in Central, Rift Valley and Central, Rift Valley and Coastal Provinces of KenyaCoastal Provinces of Kenya
Next research questionsNext research questions• What are the pros and cons of the FFS What are the pros and cons of the FFS methodology in comparison with other methodology in comparison with other extension approaches?extension approaches?•What are the policy and institutional What are the policy and institutional parameters parameters needed for successful needed for successful implementation of FFS?implementation of FFS?•What are the minimum monitoring and What are the minimum monitoring and evaluation techniques needed to improve evaluation techniques needed to improve the FFS?the FFS?•How can we improve the sustainability of How can we improve the sustainability of the FFS by testing alternative funding the FFS by testing alternative funding approaches?approaches?•Are FFS suitable network for epidemio-Are FFS suitable network for epidemio-surveillance or market information surveillance or market information dissemination?dissemination?•What are the impacts of FFS on livelihoods What are the impacts of FFS on livelihoods in the short, medium and long term?in the short, medium and long term?
Additional roles of ILRIAdditional roles of ILRIBuilding capacity, research support and Building capacity, research support and technical backstopping to enable partners to technical backstopping to enable partners to test and adapt the FFS methodology to their test and adapt the FFS methodology to their environmentenvironment
