Farmers Field School (Polam badi) Programme in Andhra Pradesh –

Concept and Implementation

M. Sachin DuttADA (Farms)WALAMTARI

FARMERS FIELD SCHOOL:A group of farmers meet regularly in a field at weekly intervals during a crop season. After observation of the crop dynamics, they discuss and take economical decisions about the best crop management practices for that week , under the guidance of trained facilitators. These decisions will empower farmers for adopting best agricultural practices and improve their productivity and their standard of living.

NEED for FFS:

• Declining soil productivity and inappropriate / imbalanced nutrient use.

• Indiscriminate use of pesticides leading to increased cost of cultivation

• Poor water management resulting in low Water Use Efficiency (WUE), soil salinity and alkalinity problems.

• Inadequate research and extension support to Small & Marginal farmers

Thus, FFS intends to:

1.Increase the income of Wet / Dry land Small and Marginal Farmers thereby increasing their standard of life.

2.Increase the WUE of farmers / WUA members under Major and Medium irrigation projects.

3.Thrust the role of WUAs in increasing the productivity and WUE.

To achieve the above, the approach to improved management techniques (Integrated Crop Management techniques) has to be demonstrated through organizing FFS at field level involving Farmers/ WUA members.

ICM = INM + IPM + Water Management + Agronomic practices including farm mechanization

OBJECTIVES of FFS:

1.Increasing the productivity of crops receiving irrigation through Field demonstrations and training programmes.2.Growing of crops as per the prevailing market trend / need.3.Reducing cost of cultivation by adopting improved management practices and procuring the critical inputs in time – community based approach.4.Increasing the WUE by selecting crop / varieties which require less water.5.Finally making farmer ‘an Expert’ in decision making.

APPROACH: •In FFS the primary learning material is the crop field. The training is fully field oriented, participatory and discovery based – Learning by doing.

•FFS aims at teaching Science to farmer in his field.

•FFS is done from seed to seed so that the farmers can observe and analyze the dynamics of crop ecology across the season.

•The training curriculum is based on local needs.

•Changes in the curriculum / topics can be made depending upon the prevailing situation and to be done in consultation with farmers / participants.

Education of Farmers Through

• Farmers Training Centers (FTC)

• On Farm Demonstration (OFD)

• Polam badi (FFS) Programmes

Sl.No

Area Conventional Method

(FTC)

Demonstrations (OFED)

FFS(Polam badi)

1 Involvement of Farmers Less Less More

2 Group approach Nil less Working in small groups for sharing of ideas, knowledge, skills

3 University recommendations/ Technology

Create awareness Disseminate knowledge

Validate recommendations through field studies

4 Learning Create awareness knowledge learning by doing

5 Farm Management Decisions

Create dependence on external agencies

Create dependence on external agencies

Empowering farmers as decision makers

6 Development of Skills Less Less More Technical, attitudinal skills

7 Provide technologyor science

Provide technology

Provide technology

Transfer of science & Technology

8 Adoptability of Technology by S.F & M.F

Less Less High

9 Ecological approach Regional specific Regional specific Individual field specific

10 Cost of technical input or wisdom

High & borrowed High & borrowed Less: Synthesized local (traditional) & external wisdom

Difference Among 3 Major Approaches for Educating the Farmers

Essential Elements of Polam badi

4.Weekly meetings

2.Field

3.Facilitator 1. Farmers-group

Empowerment

5.Ecologicalapproach

1.OBSERVATION

Steps in Agro-Eco System Analysis

2.RECORDING

3.DISCUSSIONS IN SMALLGROUPS 4. DRAWING

Farmers involvement in FFS

Presentation on Agro Eco System Analysis by Farmers

Implementation of FFS:1. Keeping in view of the objectives, FFS is being

implemented in phased manner under all the irrigation projects.

2. From the year 2007, FFS has been organized by I & CAD Dept in consultation with ANGRAU and NGO organizations. As such 15 KVKs are involved in implementation of FFS.

3. Every KVK shall organize 25-50 FFS every season.

4. AEEs under O&M of I&CAD are involved in organizing FFS with KVKs in their areas.

Guidelines for implementation of FFS:

1. FFS is to be organized (one/village) in those villages under Major and Medium commands in consultation with WUA members and not under well irrigation.

2. Every FFS is organized with 1+20 farmers. The fields of all the 20 farmers must be contiguous and adjacent holdings having one major crop only.

3. The basic data of village (Village map, Village profile – population, families, gender, education/literacy, caste, occupation etc) has to be taken in advance for effective conduct of FFS.

4. Target the areas with low productivity in each WUA to achieve yield enhancement.

5. Identify the production constraints and yield gaps and include them in FFS – Baseline survey.

6. The areas of all the farmers shall be covered with technological interventions as decided by all the members.

7. FFS should be organized on ICM theme to achieve the contemplated results.

8. Discuss the framework of FFS with WUA presidents and form the groups of active farmers. This is to be done in a pre-seasonal orientation meeting for 1+20 members.

9. The KVKs shall select farmers for FFS and train them accordingly with the methodology.

10. The first thing to be done is collection of Soil samples from each of the fields of 1+20 farmers where technological interventions are being taken up. Based on the soil test results, the fertilizer quantities actually needed will be decided. Excess use is discouraged.

Collection of Soil Samples

Demonstrating new Technologies

SEED TREATMENT

SEED GERMINATION TEST

11. Adoption of recommended technological interventions by input tie-up arrangements for supply of critical inputs in time has to be scrupulously implemented in FFS.12. Wherever FFS is planned to be organized, the farmers along with facilitators will discuss in advance about the problems of village primarily reasons for low productivity. Possible interventions are planned to improve the productivity. 13. The Scientists from KVK shall visit the FFS field for scientific evaluation and recommendations. 14. One such recommendation is implementation of rotational irrigation or Warabandi to increase the WUE.15. Green manure crops are also encouraged to increase the organic matter content and also increase the availability of nutrients supplied to the crop.

16. Some of the Agronomic interventions are:- Transplanting Paddy seedlings at early stage (20 days)- SRI method of Rice cultivation, Dry seeding of Rice- Transplanting in upper 2-3 cm layer of soil than deep

planting for more productive tillers.- Alley formation for every 2 mtr distance.- Application of fertilizers in a thin film of water and allow

water to seep in and irrigate later (not to apply fertilizers in running water).

- Application of P fertilizers as top dress to be discouraged.

17. Ensure uniform adoption of Technological intervention by all farmers.

18. Facilitate procurement of inputs and marketing the produce collectively by farmers on group basis.

SCHEDULE OF FFS:

a.Farmers must meet every week (week end) in presence of the Facilitator and review the progress of implementation of FFS and record the deliberations and follow up the actions.

- Recap and briefing- Field observations- Tea break- Group dynamics- Processing of observation- Presentation by farmers- Decision to be taken- Follow up action.

b. Involve other Department officials as far as possible for gaining expertise.

c. Initiatives on Agribusiness and Agro-processing may be encouraged.

d. Comprehensive record keeping is an important activity. All important activities should be documented using photographs. Records must be updated regularly.

e. Analyze the results of FFS (adoption and implementation) and disseminate through press for benefit of other farmers.

f. Conduct Field Day before harvest of the crop. Invite PC Chairmans, DC presidents for the Field Day.

g. Upscale the results of FFS over larger areas.

QUALITY INDICATORS OF SUCCESSFUL FFS:

1.Difference in productivity is easily observed and reasons for such increase.2.Causes for high yields identified.3.Problems in Water management addressed and probable solutions achieved.4.All the Solutions for effective management be published through pamphlets, press, media, tom-tom etc.5.Higher yields and higher returns.6.Reduction in cost of cultivation.7.Increase in WUE.8.Increase in Science of farmers and making farmer Expert in scientific information and making the farmer as a role model.9.Planning cropping pattern as per the market needs.