West African farmers benefit from in-field trainings

Training participants in Koaran, Burkina Faso are praising the qualities of local workshops held in their community. Located about 250km from the capital, Ouagadougou, this remote village is one that is benefitting from farmer-to-farmer instruction.

Across West Africa, this educational style has proven to be effective and desirable. Groups are usually limited to about 30 farmers, but due to enthusiasm, recent trainings have included more than 50 participants.

These events cover a wide range of agricultural practices, underutilized crops, and appropriate technologies such as FFF(FGW), family gardens, Moringa, biogas, and small-scale livestock.

The advantages of these "in-context" trainings are felt by both teachers and participants. Presenters are better able to understand the village's unique situation and available resources; and report that participants follow closely to whomever is teaching and ask a lot of questions.

One participant noted that these trainings were unique from other experiences they've had:

"Everything you teach is based on tools available to us."

Others note the value of humility in training:

"[sometimes] people of the city have no consideration for us when they come to us in the village, but [you] have been different, you are so humble and so good with us."

In-field, farmer lead trainings are resulting in increased buy-in. Leaders at the Koaran training were impressed by the determination of the population to put immediately into practice what they have learned. All of the participants agreed that this training would change their village for the better.

ECHOcommunity has several available resources related to workshops and trainings:

• Teaching in Field Settings
• Effective Use of Workshops in Agriculture Extension
• Agriculture Extension with Community-Level Workers - TN #83
  (Lessons and Practices from Community Health and Community Animal Health Programs)