Farmers Field School, The Sensitive Impact

(1.) Introduction


FFS well practiced in Sudan early nineties mainly under irrigated farming systems in Jazeera and er Rahad schemes. Under Traditional Rainfed farming systems it is noticed that there is no sound IMPACT. As technicians we have to answer the question WHY there is no impact? – here are some obstacles obstructed the impact:


(2.) Paid Lead Farmers:


Agricultural Practitioners in Sudan used to encourage the targeted communities to set a transparent criteria for selecting Lead Farmers. Then this lead farmer used to be well trained during this period of time, and the coming seasons Lead Farmers receive certain amount of money on monthly basis from projects “about SDG 150.0 as it was the case in White Nile”. At the project end no one will be ready to pay for the Lead Farmer Information – that lead to lack of sustainability, consequently everything done collapse, we can avoid this kind of obstacle through:


(2.1.) The Lead Farmer MUST be a Fee-Based-Service Provider [FBS]
Through training the Lead Farmers on issues pertained to e.g. Seed Multiplication Techniques, selling fertilizers, chemicals, tools, empty sacs and other inputs. Lead Farmers are to be trained on Book-Keeping, simple Accounting and Management issues. – the project is to support him/her in running this agribusiness through credit provision and promotion – when farmers sell items then technical information will be disseminated together to the client with the purchased commodity

(2.2.) Communities are to be encourage to lay their Strategic Plan, advocacy plan, update their profile, run Fundraising, including subscriptions, Income-Generating-Activities, donations etc. From the raised fund – lead farmers may have their entitlements

(3.) The Accessibility (Geographical Distance):

The distance and the very limited population exactly like Red Sea State [RSS] situation, villages are scattered, farmers can’t meet as frequent as the case demands, they will why we invest time and effort to acquire information about sorghum?

(3.1)This accessibility obstacle could be solved through the distribution of audio-cassette-recorders - taped with extension recorded stuff to communities on Revolving Fund System. Other associated package to FFS is to be administered, like scheduled visits (Train and Visit T & V), demos (Train and Demonstrate T & D)

(3.2) Mobilization campaigns through multimedia, school students, mosques, football & youth clubs etc


4. Different Perceptions:


Irrigated Sector Farmers have pinpointed problems they face like varieties, seed propagation, spacing, nursing, grafting, chemical treatment, watering, protection. In addition to post-harvest techniques like picking, drying, packing, transporting & preservation, etc. Rainfed Sector Farmers face little problems compared to their colleagues under irrigation system. Some of them know the exact seed rate, but they need more fodder to feed their animals, others know the more the spacing, the more the weed infestation, but they also need weeds as animal feed – so they have different interests.


(4.1.) This obstacle could be solved through in-depth information of farmers exact need, tailoring a curriculum that reflect their exact needs

(4.2.) Also this perception obstacle is to be minimized through farmers fully intigration and participation, mobilization, T & V and T & D