The
Farmer IPM Trainers have been successful both as trainers and as local IPM
leaders in the districts where they have been active. For example,
Farmer IPM Trainers in Galle District have worked with farmers to form IPM
alumni groups. These groups are producing seed paddy to meet local
requirements. The Deputy Director (Extension) of Galle District, Mr.
Indrajee, is so convinced of the impact of farmer-to-farmer training that he
has taken a decision to use it as a primary extension strategy.
Farmer-to-farmer
FFS is an expanding activity in the programme in Sri Lanka. The number
of farmer-to-farmer FFS has been increased for this season. There are now
over 200 farmers who have participated in Farmer IPM Trainers TOT’s.
Present plans call for at least 50 % of these Farmer IPM Trainers to be
conducting FFS in the upcoming Maha season.
Vietnam
Community
IPM activities in Vietnam have led to an increase in the number and
activities of Farmer IPM Trainers. The following is a brief case from
Yen Tan Village in Nam Dinh Province. The case is representative of
the roles of Farmer IPM Trainers in establishing sustainable village level
IPM programmes across Vietnam.
IPM
activities began in 1995 in Yen Tan Village with the implementation of a
single Field School that was followed by two others, one in 1997 and another
in 1998. At this point there were 90 FFS alumni spread among the 10
hamlets of the village. In the autumn of 1998, as Community IPM
activities started in earnest, a TOT was held in Yen Tan to train 20 alumni
or two per hamlet (a total of 12.5% of FFS alumni in the village).
Half of the alumni trained as Farmer IPM Trainers were women. This
selection strategy meant that both the local Farmer’s Union and the local
Women’s Unions were represented in the TOT. These two organisations
were supporters of IPM and wanted members trained as Farmer IPM Trainers.
