CropLife International has developed a training model for agricultural education and training in rural farming communities. The model encourages partnerships with local organisations to share knowledge and measure the benefits for farmers, families and communities. After successful implementation in the Adoni region of Andhra Pradesh, India, the model can now be adapted for, and implemented in, other regions around the world.
Adoni: The Model in Action
Located in Southern India, the Adoni region of Andhra Pradesh is home to over 500,000 people, many of whom are involved in agriculture. Communities in Adoni depend heavily on farming for their livelihoods, primarily growing cotton, rice and chilli’s in over 160 villages. In 2009, CropLife International partnered with two local organisations in Adoni to provide training on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), responsible use and the secure storage of crop protection products. The project initially aimed to reach 100,000 families over a four-year period. Eventually, 128,000 were trained over six years.
Project supporters
CropLife International, CropLife Asia and CropLife India worked to initiate the project in Adoni by identifying local organisations that could deliver the training and monitor results. Once these two organisations were identified, CropLife International provided expertise, experience and resources to implement and manage the training programmes. Additional financial support was provided by USAID (Global Development Alliance).
Local Implementers and Master Trainers
EFFORT is an organisation in Adoni whose knowledge of agriculture in the region made them an ideal candidate for project implementation. CropLife International and EFFORT collaborated to develop and train a network of master trainers that educate and train farmers, families and communities throughout the region.
Evaluators
BIRDS (Bharati Integrated Rural Development Society) is an independent third party organisation in Adoni, responsible for monitoring and assessing the results of training programmes. Through pre and post training surveys, BIRDS has measured the effectiveness of different training methods; with the key indicator being changes in farmers’ practices
Women in Adoni
In 2010, the project expanded to include women, hiring the first female master trainer to train both men and women throughout the region. Two female Master Trainers trained 29 Framer Training Groups including 350 men and 650 women.
Results in Adoni
Findings in Adoni have demonstrated that the training model is effective, and that local partnerships are vital to its successful implementation. The key measure of success for this model is farmer retention.
Farmers have not only gained new knowledge and improved their practices, but are retaining and reinforcing what they have learned years after completing their training. Retention is achieved by reaching farmers in the field, at home and during their leisure time so that messages resonate through their daily routines. Farmer to farmer training then empowers farmers to gain an even deeper understanding of the subject matter by becoming educators themselves. This continues over time, spreading messages through the community and increasing the numbers reached.
- 3% of farmers could identify beneficial insects immediately after training, rising to 97% four years later. All farmers can identify crop pests.
- 4% of farmers understood the main components of responsible use (e.g. proper handling and storage of crop protection products) immediately after training, rising to 99.5% four years later.
- 2% of farmers were aware of the dangers of counterfeit pesticides (including how to recognize and avoid them) immediately after training, rising to 97% four years later.
- 7% of farmers disposed of their empty containers safely immediately after training, rising to 99.5% four years later.
Retention is achieved by reaching farmers in the field, at home and during their leisure time so that messages resonate through their daily routines. Farmer to farmer training then empowers farmers to gain an even deeper understanding of the subject matter by becoming educators themselves. This continues over time, spreading messages through the community and increasing the numbers reached.
SHARED KNOWLEDGE
In Adoni, training covers a wide range of topics including inspecting crops, identifying beneficial insects, wearing personal protection equipment, determining when and when not to spray, correct spraying techniques, maintaining sprayer equipment, triple rinsing empty containers and the secure storage of crop protection products.
The following training methods have been adapted to suit regional needs in Adoni:
Training for Farmers
Farmer training groups: Master trainers meet with groups of 20-30 farmers in their villages to provide instruction in a classroom style setting.
Field demonstrations: Master trainers provide practical, hands-on demonstrations to small groups of male and female farmers in the field.
Farmer to farmer training: Farmers are encouraged to pass on what they have learned to other farmers in the community, both verbally and through printed leaflets.
Farmer clubs: After training is complete, farmers are encouraged to establish official clubs where they can meet to learn and share information, while developing plans to improve the community. These clubs also benefit farmers by providing access to important financial services.
Training for Families
House to house visits: Master trainers visit farm families in their homes to provide education and training that is relevant to the entire family.
School programmes: Many children in the region are from farm families, therefore master trainers visit schools to provide general information about farm safety.
Training for Communities
Village meetings: Village meetings provide an opportunity for the whole community to listen in and participate in farmer training groups.
Message support: Informative posters and wall paintings are placed throughout villages to serve as reminders of what has been shared during farmer training groups, field demonstrations, house to house visits, village meetings and cultural shows.
Cultural shows: Cultural shows draw large crowds in village centres, where song and dance becomes a vehicle for delivering important training messages to the community.
SHARED RESULTS
Responsible Farming
As a result of the training, farmers in Adoni are reading pesticide labels; wearing personal protective equipment; and storing crop protection products safely. They are able to identify beneficial insects, and determine when and when not to spray their crops. Farmers are using crop protection products responsibly to maximise their benefits and protect the environment.
Retained Knowledge
Survey results in Adoni indicate that farmers are retaining what they have learned well after completing their training. In the case of personal protective equipment, results indicate the percentage of farmers wearing it actually continued to increase in the year following training. This is largely due to reinforcing messages through farmer to farmer training, village meetings and farmer clubs.
Improved Crop Production
Educating farmers in Adoni has enabled them to properly use crop protection products to maximise their productivity. Farmers have made the connection that IPM and the responsible use of crop protection products are essential elements in growing sustainable, high quality crops.
New Opportunities
Training programmes have provided the opportunity for farmers to improve their farming practices and get involved with their communities. Fourty five master trainers have been employed through these programmes, while EFFORT and BIRDS have acquired valuable skills and services they can use to implement new training programmes in the area and elsewhere. Crop protection retailers are attending sessions, learning and sharing information with their customers.
Improved Livelihoods
These training programmes are bringing benefits to the entire Adoni community. Farmers have improved their practices and are growing better crops, leading to improved family livelihoods. Through farmer clubs, they are continuing to share information and invest in local farming development, while the broader community has greater awareness of safety on the farm and at home.
Source: http://croplife.org
