Starter Kit: A short introduction to Farmer Field Schools in the SD=HS programme

Prepared by Bert Visser, in collaboration with Anita Dohar, Hilton Mbozi and Frederik van Oudenhoven, this is a quick introduction to the three Field Guides developed by the SD=HS programme, i.e. the Field Guides on Participatory Plant Breeding, on Nutrition and Local Food Plants, and on Farmer Seed Production and Marketing. These three Field Guides contain some common elements on the Farmer Field School approach and methodologies that are now grouped in this Starter Kit. In this way, this Starter Kit also answers some questions that new trainers and facilitators might have on what is specific for the Farmer Field School approach.

This document is short, and is made for easy reading. It fits well as an introduction in the Training of Trainers sessions (ToT), when participants are relatively new to Farmer Field Schools. It is not a summary nor a replacement of the three specific Field Guides. Rather, it is an attempt to help participants in the ToTs and facilitators of Farmer Field Schools to better grasp and explain the principles of Adult Learning behind Farmer Field Schools, as well as to help facilitators in efficiently preparing and organising a Farmer Field School. It ends with a number of Frequently Asked Questions from our own trainers and facilitators.

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