Methodological recommendations to better evaluate the effects of farmer field schools mobilized to support agroecological transitions: school-based food and nutrition education

The farmer field school (FFS) approach is a participatory farm advisory effort that aims to strengthen farmers' skills and move towards more agroecological farming systems. This document proposes updated assessment methods, including a case study in northern Togo, to evaluate the impact of FFS on farming practices and outcomes.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 48 pages
Publication date: 06 September 2022
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

The farmer field school (FFS) approach, which is based on group experimentation with innovative practices and/or farming systems, aligns with participatory farm advisory efforts. This approach aims to enhance farmers' skills, enabling them to adapt their practices or even invent new ones, and transition towards more agroecological farming systems. Assessing such advisory interventions presents significant challenges. The purpose of this document is to propose innovative approaches to update FFS assessment methods, particularly by studying changes in farming practices and conducting detailed analysis of FFS outcomes. This document is intended for project designers, managers, evaluators, teachers, researchers, students, and policymakers. The assessment methodology presented herein draws from the collaboration between three institutions: CIRAD (Centre International de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement), FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), and the NGO AVSF (Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders). Fieldwork was conducted in cotton-growing areas of Burkina Faso and Togo between 2018 and 2019. This document is organized into four sections. We begin by defining FFS and the principles of the approach. We then discuss commonly used methods for assessing FFS and the challenges associated with them. Subsequently, we present a comprehensive assessment method using a case study in northern Togo. The final section of the report provides a foundation for integrating the proposed method into the design of an assessment for a project involving FFS.

Dimension: 300 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789251361405