The New Agriculturalist has reviewed the PhD. thesis "Stepping stones to improve upon functioning of participatory agricultural extension programmes: Farmer field schools in Uganda" by Prossy Isubikalu.
ReviewWhen first introduced in Indonesia as a way to improve pest control in rice crops, the philosophy behind the Farmer Field School (FFS) was one of farmer-centred learning. Top-down approaches had failed; farmers needed an environment in which they could experiment, innovate and learn. External support from extension officers could help guide the process, for example shaping experiments to ensure they produced useful data, but ultimately farmers were given control of their learning.
As the FFS has been spread around the world, its basic format has been adapted. And in Uganda, writes Isubikalu, the role of farmers in determining what they learn has been lost. Instead, the FFS curriculum has been decided by higher level actors - researchers and funding organisations - and is focussed on introducing externally developed technologies. This, Isubikalu argues, is ineffective in achieving the intended goal of FFS - poverty reduction. The system therefore needs radically redirecting, through careful examination of its structure, and of the roles of the various actors. The revised model will focus on catalysing, promoting and building on local innovations.
Originating as a PhD thesis, Isubikalu's work is written more to satisfy the demands for thoroughness from examiners, rather than the need of the ordinary reader for concise, punchy presentation of the essentials. However, for those interested in local innovation and how to achieve true participation of rural people in development decision-making, it is certainly worthy of attention.
Source: New Agriculturalist 2007-4: Book Reviews (
http://www.new-ag.info/07/04/books.php#184)
