Duveskog, Deborah
(2013).
Farmer Field Schools as a transformative learning space in the rural African setting.
Diss. (sammanfattning/summary)
Uppsala :
Sveriges lantbruksuniv.,
Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae, 1652-6880
; 2013:47
ISBN 9789157678331
[Doctoral thesis]
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Abstract
The aims of this research was to understand how education in the rural African faming setting can contribute to development and well-being in a way that is empowering for the poor. The Farmer Field School (FFS) approach, provided an empirical frame for the research. By reflecting on experiences of FFS participants in East Africa, the research tried to answer how the FFS learning experience play out in the daily lives of participants and their families and the role that FFS play in assisting participants to take control over their own development and enhanced well-being. Conceptually the research was framed by constructivist line of thoughts, adult education and transformative learning theories. The research applied a mixed methods approach with a variety of qualitative and quantitative tools including participatory identification of indicators of empowerment, large scale household surveys with a total of 2000 farmers and in-depth interviews. Data analysis from the quantitative survey work indicated a relationship between farmer participation in FFS, empowerment and increased wellbeing in all three countries studied. The study thus argue for an empowerment route to well-being, triggered by group based learning. The research further indicate significant impact of FFS in terms of building the capacity of people to make choices and decisions that ultimately lead to increased uptake of agricultural innovations, access to services and markets as well as collective action. Qualitative data revealed significant social impacts of FFS in terms of changes in everyday life of participants, transformation of self-concept, change in gender roles and relations, customs and traditions, community relations and an increase in household economic development. A number of pedagogical tools applied in the FFS was found to be instrumental in facilitating transformative learning and empowerment. Major conclusions of the study are the need for investment in human capacity and the importance of an appropriate mix of technological and social advancement for development. The implications of the research are relevant within the fields of rural development, gender studies and for transformative learning and adult education theory. Further, the study contributes knowledge on how to measure empowerment in the poverty setting.
Authors/Creators: | Duveskog, Deborah | ||||||||||
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Title: | Farmer Field Schools as a transformative learning space in the rural African setting | ||||||||||
Series/Journal: | Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae (1652-6880) | ||||||||||
Year of publishing : | 7 May 2013 | ||||||||||
Number: | 2013:47 | ||||||||||
Number of Pages: | 134 | ||||||||||
Papers/manuscripts: |
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Place of Publication: | Uppsala | ||||||||||
Publisher: | Dept. of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | ||||||||||
Associated Programs and Other Stakeholders: | SLU - Agricultural Sciences for Global Development > Scale issues in relation to food security and poverty alleviation | ||||||||||
ISBN for printed version: | 9789157678331 | ||||||||||
ISSN: | 1652-6880 | ||||||||||
Language: | English | ||||||||||
Publication Type: | Doctoral thesis | ||||||||||
Full Text Status: | Public | ||||||||||
Agris subject categories.: | C Education, extension, and advisory work > C10 Education C Education, extension, and advisory work > C20 Extension E Economics, development, and rural sociology > E50 Rural sociology and social security F Plant production > F01 Crop husbandry | ||||||||||
Subjects: | (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 5 Social Sciences > 503 Educational Sciences > Pedagogy (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 5 Social Sciences > 509 Other Social Sciences > Social Sciences Interdisciplinary (Peace and Conflict Research and Studies on Sustainable Society) (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 5 Social Sciences > 509 Other Social Sciences > Gender Studies | ||||||||||
Agrovoc terms: | farmer field schools, learning, agricultural education, agricultural extension, teaching methods, empowerment, farmer participation, rural areas, farmers, east africa | ||||||||||
Keywords: | Farmer Field Schools, East Africa, Transformative learning, experiential learning, agricultural extension, empowerment | ||||||||||
URN:NBN: | urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-e-1433 | ||||||||||
Permanent URL: | http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-e-1433 | ||||||||||
ID Code: | 10383 | ||||||||||
Department: | (NL, NJ) > Dept. of Urban and Rural Development (LTJ, LTV) > Dept. of Urban and Rural Development | ||||||||||
External funders: | Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency | ||||||||||
Deposited By: | Dr. Deborah Duveskog | ||||||||||
Deposited On: | 06 May 2013 08:05 | ||||||||||
Metadata Last Modified: | 13 Dec 2014 19:17 |
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