The training approach used by the FAO Regional Vegetable Integrated Pest Management Programme is primarily the Farmer Field School (FFS). In the FFS, 25-30 farmers meet weekly with qualified extension staff and/or experienced farmers. Employing non-formal education methods, the field is used as the primary resource for discovery-based learning. Farmers acquire management skills, generate knowledge, carry out experiments, and learn how to make better informed decisions. The process seeks to empower farmers in applying the principles learned to other spheres of their daily lives aimed at improving rural livelihoods.
