Farmers Field School (Polam badi)
Programme in Andhra Pradesh –
Concept and Implementation
M. Sachin Dutt
ADA (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
Difference Among 3 Major Approaches for Educating the Farmers
Sl.
No
1
Area
Conventional
Method
(FTC)
Demonstrations
(OFED)
FFS
(Polam badi)
Involvement of Farmers
Less
Less
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 technology
or 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
More
Essential Elements of
Polam badi
Empowerment
5.Ecological
approach
2.Field
4.Weekly
meetings
3.Facilitator
1. Farmers-group
Steps in Agro-Eco System Analysis
1.OBSERVATION
3.DISCUSSIONS IN
SMALLGROUPS
2.RECORDING
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.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Initiatives on Agribusiness and Agro-processing may be
encouraged.
Comprehensive record keeping is an important activity.
All important activities should be documented using
photographs. Records must be updated regularly.
Analyze the results of FFS (adoption and
implementation) and disseminate through press for
benefit of other farmers.
Conduct Field Day before harvest of the crop. Invite PC
Chairmans, DC presidents for the Field Day.
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.