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Abstract

The study explores empowerment and well-being related outcomes of Farmer Field Schools (FFS), an extension approach that has gained popularity with agriculture development programs in many African countries. This is done by examining the empirical relationships between FFS participation and increased well-being; as well as FFS participation and empowerment; and finally between empowerment and enhanced well-being. Data analysis from the two thousand household questionnaires show a relationship between these aspects, despite contextual differences in the three countries studied. It is thereby argued that there could be scope to talk about an empowerment route to well-being. The paper further suggests that the most significant impact of FFS could be viewed in terms of building the capacity of local people to make choices and make decisions that ultimately lead to increased uptake of agricultural innovations, access to services, and market access as well as collective action. A major conclusion of the study is that agricultural development programs should focus more on processes of empowering farmers as opposed to technical solutions that characterize most programs, in order to create an appropriate mix of technological and social advancement for a development process that is sustainable in nature. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Farmer Field Schools; empowerment; poverty; well-being; East Africa; agricultural extension

Published in

World Development
2012, volume: 40, number: 2, pages: 414-427
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

SLU Authors

Global goals (SDG)

SDG1 No poverty
SDG3 Good health and well-being

UKÄ Subject classification

Economics
Other Agricultural Sciences not elsewhere specified
Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2011.05.005

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/43816