Farmer Functionary Research-An Innovative Methodology for Transfer of Technology

In Kerala, factors like narrow land-man ratio, depleted forests and farm environment due to the combined effect of environmental degeneration, over reliance on fertilizers and poor farm management practices have led to declining farm yields. The outlook of the farm population is also changing owing to increasing exposure to urban life and mass media. Many of the farmers now think that farm life is dull with drudgery, and not a paying occupation. Added to this, are the factors like lack of technology and research support. It is necessary that appropriate, location specific, ecologically sustainable and economically viable technologies that are suitable for the resource poor farmers are developed and disseminated. This is best achieved when innovative technologies are tried and validated on farmers’ fields than demonstrating in research stations.

The FFR approach

The Farmer Functionary Research (FFR) is a participatory approach to build capacities of farmer groups in managing crop ecosystems and making them better decision makers in promoting sustainable use of resources at the cropping, farming and watershed system levels. Besides, the approach aims at identifying and training master farmers who would help in further scaling up. In FFR approach, need based season-long training is organised to farmers emphasizing discovery learning. Training is provided on the farmers field itself enabling better understanding of the field problems, their management and control.

The learning process

KVK in collaboration with Department of Agriculture under NWDPRA adopted Farmer Functionary Research Approach (FFRA) with Participatory Technology Development (PTD) as an entry point activity.

FFR was started mainly to train farmers in a specific technology with the objective of developing them as master farmers. Based on learning and experiences, the process was built progressively to address complex needs at the cropping and farming system levels. With issues emerging along the process, strategies and approaches were refined. Gradually, experimentation and technology development was also included into FFR through PTD for exploring various technological options (both indigenous and external) on issues identified in crop management.

Choosing the entry points

PTD process was chosen as an entry point programme. In dialogue with farmers and institutions like the Department of Agriculture and Regional Research Stations, the immediate problems were identified. Farmers drew the decision matrix for different technologies. This decision matrix clearly reflected that farmers were aware of the positive aspects of improved technologies but were somehow not practicing them.

Based on the above decision matrices, four technologies – Vanilla, Mushroom, Tissue culture Banana, Vermicomposting, were identified to be carried out as trials on selected farmers fields. Accordingly, 138 farmers from seven watersheds did comparative analysis on the growth, yield and bunch emergence parameters of tissue culture and sucker banana; 33 farmers from nine watersheds did on- farm testing of different species of earthworms on vermicomposting; 41 farmers from five watersheds were experimenting with Vanilla vines and rooted cuttings; 12 farmers from three watersheds compared the efficacy of two species of Oyster mushroom

Selected farmers were organized into groups to create mechanism for joint learning. Farmers practicing same technology were organized into one group. As a group, farmers learned faster and the group served as a source of inspiration and encouragement.

Weekly group meetings were organised. Each group had a convenor and a secretary. Records of all the group activities were maintained by the secretary. Constraints of individual group members were addressed during discussions.

On farm trainings and demonstrations were conducted by KVK and trials were initiated. Extensive demonstrations were organsied to these selected farmers. Trials were carried out in the farmers fields. All the inputs for carrying out the trials were provided by KVK. The parameters to be observed in different technologies were identified and farmers recorded the growth parameters of each technology on a weekly basis. Monthly meetings were organized in the farmers plot. Farmers, experts, Dept. Officials and KVK staff were invovled in discussions and identifying solutions.

The members in these groups worked in small groups to conduct experiments, collect data from the field, generate analysis through discussion, present results and make group decisions for field management. Farmers held weekly group meetings in the field of each group member. During the meeting they shared their experiences. Details discussed in the meeting were noted in a register which was maintained by the secretary of the respective groups. Major focus was given to the constraints encountered by the farmers. Some of the constraints were solved during interaction of these farmer members. For problems which could not be solved within the group, experts advice was sought.

Field data was collected by individual farmers based on the given parameters. Data were recorded in a Diary provided by KVK and a separate notebook was maintained for recording informal observations. Coding of field data was done by Convener and Secretary along with farmers in a evaluation workshop. KVK carried out statistical analysis in collaboration with University staff. Results were discussed in monthly meetings.

Farmers compared actual experimental results with practices that were used before. This also included the “Stop and Go” method, where any particular treatment were stopped and re-introduced several times to show its effect. Results were quantitative as well as qualitative.

Evaluation workshop

After completing the experiments, the group consisting of master farmers as well as other experimenters came together for an evaluation workshop. The participants discussed the results and factors that influenced them. Results of the experiments were reviewed, looking into each of the criteria defined by farmers and KVK staff during the design stage, as well as other observations made during the process of experimentation. Final conclusions were made and replications planned.

Diffusion

Exchange visits between different groups of various watersheds were organised. Also, programmes were broadcasted on the local radio. An easy-to-read farmers’ report of the experiment was printed for distribution to farmers in other watersheds.

Selected master farmers, took up the responsibility of training in different watersheds in each technology. These outstanding farmers from FFR were grouped and retrained as farmer trainers. Two weeks of training of trainers (TOT) was imparted to these farmers by the department. The training included Programme formulation; Evaluation and Monitoring; Converting problems into learning opportunities; Fundamentals of ecosystems and Agro-Ecosystem Analysis and Discovery learning Tools.

After the TOT, in few initial trainings, each group was tied up with KVK trainers to further sharpen their training skills. Once fully trained, they were approved as master trainers in the department, for imparting training in a specific technology, in the watersheds.

The FFR approach enabled farmers to become informed decision-makers, making crop management decisions based on learnings on their own fields and of the training acquired. As a result, farmers moved away from excessive use of agro-chemicals towards more environmental friendly and sustainable crop management practices. By this, they also experienced reduction of input costs while maintaining or even improving crop production.

Farmers were involved in all stages of the process from setting the research agenda and the experimental treatments, conducting observations and discussing and interpreting results. With renewed confidence, farmers had become useful research partners with research institutes and extension staff, in field-based research.

Nisha Aravind, Vinod Mathew, Training Associates, CARD-KVK, Pathanamthitta dist. Kerala