Nonformal Agricultural Education Reform in Uganda: The Impact on Extension Workers

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of agricultural extension nonformal education reforms (1998-2013) in Uganda among extension workers, who were required them to change from a top-down to more participatory educational approach with farmers

PARTICIPATORY EXTENSION PROCESSES AS CATALYST FOR CHANGE IN SOCIAL DYNAMICS AMONG RURAL POOR

N° ISBN - 978-2-7380-1284-5International audienceAs agricultural education based on participatory approaches expand, knowledge is needed about the impact it has on the daily lives of participants beyond farming gains. The study explores how involvement in the participatory extension practice “Farmer Field Schools (FFS)” results in shifting world views among participants and to what extent it has an impact on peoples' sense of well-being and agency in society. The paper discuss how transformative learning in participatory research and extension enables poor people to gain agency; generate more equitable spousal relations; improve relationships with community and adopt more productive and profitable farming and marketing practices that contribute to a sustainable society

The Empowerment Route to Well-being: An Analysis of Farmer Field Schools in East Africa

Summary. -The study explores empowerment and well-being related outcomes of Farmer Field Schools (FFS), an extension approach that has gained popularity with agriculture development programs in many African countries. This is done by examining the empirical relationships between FFS participation and increased well-being; as well as FFS participation and empowerment; and finally between empowerment and enhanced well-being. Data analysis from the two thousand household questionnaires show a relationship between these aspects, despite contextual differences in the three countries studied. It is thereby argued that there could be scope to talk about an empowerment route to well-being. The paper further suggests that the most significant impact of FFS could be viewed in terms of building the capacity of local people to make choices and make decisions that ultimately lead to increased uptake of agricultural innovations, access to services, and market access as well as collective action. A major conclusion of the study is that agricultural development programs should focus more on processes of empowering farmers as opposed to technical solutions that characterize most programs, in order to create an appropriate mix of technological and social advancement for a development process that is sustainable in nature

Farmer Field Schools as a transformative learning space in the rural African setting

The aims of this research was to understand how education in the rural African faming setting can contribute to development and well-being in a way that is empowering for the poor. The Farmer Field School (FFS) approach, provided an empirical frame for the research. By reflecting on experiences of FFS participants in East Africa, the research tried to answer how the FFS learning experience play out in the daily lives of participants and their families and the role that FFS play in assisting participants to take control over their own development and enhanced well-being. Conceptually the research was framed by constructivist line of thoughts, adult education and transformative learning theories. The research applied a mixed methods approach with a variety of qualitative and quantitative tools including participatory identification of indicators of empowerment, large scale household surveys with a total of 2000 farmers and in-depth interviews. Data analysis from the quantitative survey work indicated a relationship between farmer participation in FFS, empowerment and increased wellbeing in all three countries studied. The study thus argue for an empowerment route to well-being, triggered by group based learning. The research further indicate significant impact of FFS in terms of building the capacity of people to make choices and decisions that ultimately lead to increased uptake of agricultural innovations, access to services and markets as well as collective action. Qualitative data revealed significant social impacts of FFS in terms of changes in everyday life of participants, transformation of self-concept, change in gender roles and relations, customs and traditions, community relations and an increase in household economic development. A number of pedagogical tools applied in the FFS was found to be instrumental in facilitating transformative learning and empowerment. Major conclusions of the study are the need for investment in human capacity and the importance of an appropriate mix of technological and social advancement for development. The implications of the research are relevant within the fields of rural development, gender studies and for transformative learning and adult education theory. Further, the study contributes knowledge on how to measure empowerment in the poverty setting

Farmer Field School in Rural Kenya: A Transformative Learning Experience

International audienceAs participatory agricultural education increases in use, knowledge is needed of its impact on the daily lives of the participants beyond benefits for farming. The purpose of this study was to explore the case of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) under the lens of transformative learning theory, in order to understand the impact that participatory and group-based learning can have on the lives of participants. The findings revealed significant impacts demonstrated by a personal transformation, changes in gender roles and relations, customs and traditions, and community relations, and an increase in household economic development. The implications are relevant both within the fields of rural development and for transformative learning theory

Less noise in the household: the impact of Farmer Field Schools on Gender Relations

The study examines the impact of collective action in Kenyan Farmer Field School groups on household gender equity. Qualitative fieldwork reveal significant changes in household division of labour and decision-making; in gendered customs and traditions, and in men’s work ethics and their view of women. To understand how the participatory education experience in collective action groups impacts spousal relations, two theoretical frameworks were used; collective action and gender relations and transformative learning theory. The study concludes that Farmer Field Schools generate gender impacts not only because it empowers women but because it also provides opportunities for the men, the agent of oppression in this case, to change their view on women. This suggests that equity in household gender relations may be improved through the active engagement of both women and men in non-formal adult education within mixed collective organizations. This approach provides an alternative to the widespread strategies of aid agencies that seek to enhance standing of women by targeting them as individuals