Digitalizing FFS To Bring Out The Farmer’s Native Genius – The Wizard Of Os, Frank H


You may want to read first my earlier essay, The Wizard Of Os. Original, these 5 Wizard Os: Obstacles, Opportunities, Options, Outputs and Outcomes – Agriculture Anywhere proceeding from production to marketing.

Obstacle:

I junked the Farmer Field School, FFS, in this essay here: Creative Scus. But Alyssa Jade McDonald-Bärtl reacted positively, and Ms Alyssa is a respected board member of the Unternehmensgrun-Bundesverband and Founder of Blyss Chocolate gmbh[1]. She informed our Facebook friend Nestor V Saludo, who in turn sent me her message:

I understand! Just curious as the efficacy of FFS and diffusion education etc is something I work on. In November, the FFS HQ of FAO put together some great work on digitalization of FFS aspects; however there are still some points which need adjustment locally. Thus, your colleague's suggestion of local R&D from uni / higher ed to contribute to custom-FFS (or digital or diffusion) infos for farmers as a concept is well backed by popular opinion and science.

Opportunity:

Yes, I am interested in “the efficacy of FFS and diffusion education” – FFS is a tired educational tool and should now be retired. But I’m educable. Ms Alyssa says the FFS headquarters of FAO “put together some great work on digitalization of FFS aspects, however there are still some points which need adjustment locally.”

Let’s visit the FAO FFS website[2]:

A Farmer Field School brings together a group of farmers, livestock herders or fisherfolk, to learn on how to shift towards more sustainable production practices, by better understanding complex agro-ecosystems and by enhancing ecosystem services. A FFS group meets regularly during a production cycle, setting up experimentation and engaging in hands-on learning to improve skills and knowledge that will help adapt practices to their specific context. The FFS empowers individuals and groups to move towards more sustainable practices and (improved) livelihoods.

Option:

Gentlemen, digital is the way to go! “To learn on how to shift towards more sustainable production practices, by better understanding complex agro-ecosystems and by enhancing ecosystem services” – You have to laymanize all and show all. Today, the best way to teach? Digital. Especially in the Philippines, the social media capital of the world. Via cellphone (image above from Page Design Shop[3]): People can repeat the lesson at will.

No more repeating experiments! Simply record digitally the experiments of volunteer farmers and all the others have to do is pay digital attention! Visual and aural presentations are more convincing.

The FFS has been configured as if the farmer knows nothing, and so the FFS is a season-long instruction class for robots! “This is what to do; this is how, when.”

Output:

FAO says, “The FFS empowers individuals and groups to move towards more sustainable practices and (improved) livelihoods” – the best way to convince anyone of sustainable practices & improved livelihoods is to show digitally, time span included.

Outcome:

Digital FFS can show farmers convincingly how to think and act for themselves & families and in time lead sustainable lives beyond poverty!@517







[1]https://www.facebook.com/alyssajademcdonald/about?lst=1156013429%3A746018571%3A1579774614
[2]http://www.fao.org/farmer-field-schools/home/en/

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