From March 15 to 18, a monitoring and technical support mission was carried out in the three intervention districts of the AERAS/GP-SAEP project. This mission aimed to assess the progress of activities while supporting local teams to optimize project implementation.
Notable Progress in Establishing Farmer Field Schools (FFS)
One of the main findings of this mission concerns the progress of activities in the field, particularly within the 60 operational Farmer Field Schools (FFS). Each extensionist (Rural Advisory Service Facilitator or RAS) supervises three FFS in the targeted districts of the Menabe region.
FFS serve as learning and experimentation spaces where farmers, guided by RAS, test and adopt new agricultural practices suited to their realities. Key topics covered include:
- Pest and disease control impacting crops
- Use of improved seeds to increase productivity
- Adoption of agroecological practices, the central axis of the project
Growing Interest from Farmers in Innovation
Observations from this mission confirm the enthusiasm of smallholder farmers for the innovations introduced by the project. This is reflected in their active engagement in FFS, both in managing demonstration plots and applying learned techniques.
The adoption of new practices is particularly evident when farmers see improvements in their crops. This approach is even more convincing as it relies on using locally available resources, a key principle of agroecology whose initial benefits are already visible.
A Promising Dynamic in the Field
Aligned with the local agricultural calendar, several FFS have already completed their first harvests, particularly in rice cultivation. These initial results illustrate farmers’ commitment and the positive impact of the project on improving agricultural practices, thereby strengthening resilience and sustainability in production systems.