Analysis of effect of farmer field school approach on agricultural knowledge and information management in Sharifabad regional, Alborz County, Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Agricultural Extension and Education, Branch of Sari, Azad University, Sari, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Agricultural Extension and Education, Science and Research, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

3 Graduate MSc. Student , Organization of Agriculture Jihad, Province of Gilan, Iran

Abstract

Elements of agricultural knowledge and information management(research, extension, farmers, NGO and …) to near together in appropriate process were used in farmer field school approach. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of farmer field school (FFS) approach on agricultural knowledge and information management. The research population consisted of 420 farmers who participated in FFS approach in Sharifabad regional selected randomly (200). The methodological approach of this study was descriptive-correlative. Validity of the instrument was established by a panel of experts consisting of senior faculty members and research committee advisors. Reliability analysis was conducted by using Cronbach alpha formula and result was 81. The results showed that 18.8, 16.2 and 65 percent of farmers expressed that their agricultural knowledge and information management were weak, moderate and good respectively. Also the results of the multiple regression analysis (stepwise method) revealed that the management, social, education- extension and economic factors explained a variation of 77.9 percent of the agricultural knowledge and information management by farmers.

Keywords


Anandajayasekeram, P., Davis, K. E. & Workneh, S. (2007). Farmer field schools: An alternative to existing extension systems? Experience from eastern and southern Africa. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, 14(1), 81-93.
Bartlett, A. (2005). Farmer Field Schools to Promote Integrated Pest Management in Asia: The FAO Experience. Workshop on Scaling Up Case Studies in Agriculture. International Rice Research Institute. 16-18 August 2005. Bangkok. Retrieved Jun 10 2008 from http:// www.comunityipm.org/.
Bunyatta, D.K., Mureithi, J.G., Onyango, C.A. & Ngesa, F.U. (2006). Farmer Field School as an Effective Methodology for Dissemination Agricultural Technologies: Up-scaling of Soil Management Technologies among Small-scale Farmers in Trans-Nzoia District, Kenya, Presented at the 21st Annual Meeting of the Association for AIAEE, San Antonio, PP. 515- 524.
Bunyatta, D.K., Mureithi, J.G., Onyango, C.A., and Ngesa, F.U. (2005). Farmer Field School as an Effective Methodology for Disseminating Agricultural Technologies: Up-Scaling of Soil Management Technologies among Small-Scale Farmers in Trans-Nzoia District, Kenya. Presented at the 21st Annual Meeting of the Association for International Agricultural Extension and Education (AIAEE). San Antonio, TX.
Damtie Endalew, B. (2009). Effectiveness of Farmer Field School in Promoting Coffee Management Practices: The Case of Jimma and Sidana Zones, M. A. dissertation, University of Haramaya, Ethiopia, PP. 1-157.
David, S. (2007). Learning to Think for Ourselves: Knowledge improvement and Social Benefits among Farmer Field School Participant in Cameroon, Association International Extension Education, vol. 14, No. 2, PP. 35-48.
Davis, K. (2006). Are Farmer Field Schools the Answer to Extension Problem? International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) FORUM. Retrieved July 02 2008. From: http://www. ifpri. Org/publication.
Davis, K., Nkonya, E., Ayalew, D & Kato, E. (2009). Assessing Impact a Farmer Field Schools Project in East Africa, Proceeding of the 25th Annual Meeting, International San Juan Resort, Puerto Rico. PP.136-137.
Dinpanah, Gh., Mirdamadi, S.M., Chizari. M & Alavi, V. (2008). Analysis of Effect of Farmer Field School Approach on Adoption of Biological Control of Rice Farmer in Sari County, Iran,Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economic and Development Research, 40(1). (in Farsi)
FAO (2008). Farmer Field Schools on Land and Water Management in Africa, proceedings of an international workshop in Jinja, Uganda, PP. 24- 29.
Fasika, K. (2004). Impact Evaluation of FFS: The Case of Integrated Potato Late Blight Management in the Central Highland of Ethiopia, Ph.D. Dissertation. University of ANTWERP, Institute of Development policy and management.
Godrick, K.S., & Richard, W.K. (2003). Farmer field school feedback: a case of IPPM FFS program in Kenya.
Godtland, E., Sadoulet, E., De Janvry, A., Murgai, R & Ortiz, O. (2003). The Impact of Farmer Field Schools on Knowledge and Productivity: A Study of Potato Farmers in the Peruvian Andes, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, CUDARE working paper, University of California, Berkeley, CA.
Heidari, H., Impiglia, A., Daraie, A & Mirzaie, F. (2006). Farmer Field Schools Deliver Results in Iran, Integrated Pest Management, Pesticides News 76 (June 2006).
Hoqu, M. K., Alam, M. A., Molla, M. M. U., Mosaddeque, H.Q.M. (2008). Environmental Awareness of the FFS Farmer in Practing IPM. J. innov. Dev. Strategy. 2(3): 17-21.
Khisa, G. S. & Heinemann, E. (2005). Farmer empowerment through farmer Field Schools. F. W. T. Penning de Vries (Ed). Bright Spots Demonstrate Community Successes in African Agriculture. Working Paper 102. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute.
Kimani, M., & Mafa, A. (2002). The East African Sub- Regional Pilot Project for Farmer Field Schools Integrated production and pest Management (IPPM FFS), Kenya. DARWIN Initiative.
Lahmar, R. (2010). Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Europe Lessons of the KASSA Project. Land Use Policy, 27: 4–10.
Loevinsohn, M., Meijerink, G. & Salasya, B. (1998). Developing Integrated Pest Management with Kenya Farmers: Evaluations of a Pilot Project, PP. 98-13.
Mancini, F., Van bruggen, A. H. C. & Jiggins, J. L. E. (2007). Evaluating cotton integrated pest (IPM) farmer field schools outcomes using sustainable livelihoods approach in India. Cambridge University Press. Agric, (43), 97–112.
Mansorfar, K. (2004). Statistical methods. Tehran University Press.
Mutandwa, E. & Mpangwa, S. (2004). An Assessment of the Impact of Farmer Field School on Integrated Pest Management Dissemination and Use: Evidence from Smallholder Cotton Farmers in the Lowveld Area of Zimbabwe, Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, vol. 6, No. 2, retrieved from http://www.Jsd.africa.com/jsd/Fall2004/article.htm.
Nyemeck, J. & gockowski, J. (2006). Socioeconomic Impact Evaluation of the Farmer Field Schools (FFS) Implementation by the STCP Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program: A case study of cocoa farmers in Cameroon, draft report. STCP/IITA, Yaounde, Cameroon
Onduru, D.D., Muchena, F.N., Gachimbi, L.N & Maina, F. (2002). Experiences with Farmer Field Schools in Kenya, literature review on IPM, IPPM and INM, Integrated nutrient management to attain sustainable productivity increases in East African farming systems INMASP Reportel, KARI and ETC_ East Africa, Nairobi.
Ooi, P. A. & Kenmore, P. E. (2005). Impact of educating farmers about biological control in farmer field schools. 2nd International Symposium on Biological Control of Arthropods.
Osko,T. (2003). Study of Farmer Field School Participatory Approach in Biological Control of Pest Rice in Mazandaran Province. Master of Science Thesis. Islamic Azad Univesity. Science and Research Branch (in Farsi)
Palis, F.G. (2006). The Role of Culture in Farmer Learning and Technology Adoption: A case study of farmer field schools among rice farmers in central Luzon, Philippines Agriculture and Human Values, vol. 23, PP. 491- 500.
Parvenn, Sh. (2011). Rice Farmer`s Knowledge about the effects of pesticide on environmental pollution in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Research publication Journal. 3(4): 1214-1227.
Reddy, S.V & Suryamani, R. (2005). Impact of Farmer Field Schools Approach on Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills by Farmer about Cotton Pests and Other Crop Management Practices- evidence from India, Development and Agricultural Economics School of Economics and Management University of Hannover, Germany.
Rola, A.C., Jamais, S.B., & Quizon, J. B. (2002). Do Farmer Field School Graduates Retain and Share what they learn? An Investigation in Iloilo-Philippines, Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education vol. 9, No. 1, PP. 65-76.
Swanson, B.E. (1997). Strengthening Research- Extension-Farmer Linkages. In B.E. Swanson, R.P. Bentz. & a.j. Sofranko (eds). Improving Agricultural Extension, Rome: FAO, 171-178.
Tripp, R., Wijertne, M. and Piyadasa, V.H. (2005). What Should We Expect from Farmer Field Schools? A Sri Lanka Case Study. World Development. (33), No.10, pp.1705–1720.
Van den Berg, H. & Cahyana, W. (2004). Farmer Field Research: an analysis of experiences_in Indonesia, Bangkok: FAO, http://www.info bridge.org/ ffs net/index.asp. Accessed, 12/4/2009.
Van den Berg, H. (2004). IPM Farmer Field Schools: a synthesis of 25 Impact evaluations Rome, Global IPM Facility/ Food and Agriculture organizations, Rome. Retrieved from www.Fao.org/docrep.
Witt, R., Waibel, H., and Pemsl, D.E. (2006).  Training intensity and diffusion of information from Farmer Field Schools in Senegal. Development and Agricultural Economics Faculty of Economics and Management University of Hannover, Germany.
Yorobe, Jr., Rejesus, R.M., Hammig, M.D. (2011). Insecticide use impacts of integrated pest management (IPM) farmer field schools: Evidence from onion farmers in the Philippines. Available in: http: // www.elsevier.com/licate/agsy.