Philippines: Co-Creating Knowledge with Farmers: Participatory Action Research

This course will provide a framework for an effective collaboration between farmers, extension professionals and scientists in the design, planning and implementation of agricultural field research and extension that are mutually owned by all actors concerned.

Participants will learn to appreciate farmers’ roles and the use of participatory methods and tools to come up with a simple research design that can be implemented by farmers and researchers/extension agents. Participants will also learn to consider farmers’ perspectives and use of local and indigenous knowledge in actively implementing and monitoring agricultural researches.

Research organizations work with farmers through two levels of staff: (1) senior staff (program coordinators, senior national re-search staff whose work involved both re-search and extension and networking with private and government sector partners and (2) field staff, including those limited number of partner NGOs (field extension officers responsible for implementing field research, collection of data, organizing training for farmers, running focus groups, networking with partners, etc.) The training is aimed at enhancing skills and behaviours essential for developing researches that are meaningful to farmers. This training course attempts to showcase how the two different levels of staff described above (researchers and extension officers) and farmers in structured and semi-structured learning events explore meaningful learning relation-ships that put premium to farmers’ participation.

Course Objectives

1. explored field realities and multiple perspectives in the practice of doing field research and extension;
2. developed participatory methods and tools to engage farmers in the process/steps/activities of co- learning;
3. effectively facilitated the process of co-creating knowledge through data collection, validation and analysis;
4. analyzed the link between organizational theory of change and participants’ experiences in conducting field experimentation and research output dissemination; and
5. identified ways to apply learnings from the course in their specific work contexts.

Who should attend

Agricultural scientists Researchers Extension personnel from the academe, research institutions, local and international NGOs and government agencies

Methodologies

IIRR uses a participatory training approach in the conduct of its training courses. Short lectures are complemented by individual and group exercises, plenary discussions and field practicum to practice select skills discussed. Facilitators are trained and experienced IIRR professionals while invited resource persons are management level staff of partner organizations.

Course Content

Module 1: Agricultural Research and Extension Practices: Challenges and Changing Paradigms

Given the crucial role that researchers and extension personnel play in promoting improved agricultural production practices and livelihoods in rural communities, this module will give participants an avenue to share existing realities in the field. Participants will learn and compare their experiences with others and share good practices in community research and extension with other organizations.

Module 2: Co-Creating Knowledge with Farmers: A Paradigm Shift

Participants will have an in depth discussion on farmers’ changing roles and responsibilities in conducting community field research. There will be an analysis of the behaviours and practices that are supportive of farmer experimentation and innovation development. Participation and participatory tools that engages farmers and communities meaningfully in exploring agricultural innovations and opportunities for value creation will be practiced during the field practicum. Participants will facilitate data validation analysis and develop strategies and recommendations to sustain farmer-led and participatory action research.

Module 3. Sustaining Research and Extension Partnerships

Participants will explore ways to sustain partnerships with farmers and research and extension institutions to provide farmers the needed services towards better production and encouraging agricultural innovations from farmers.

Module 4. Action Planning

Participants will prepare an action plan incorporating key lessons learned from Modules 1 to 3. The action plan will serve as a tool to determine how participants’ intend to use and apply their learnings from the course upon their return to their respective institutions.

Course Fees and Related Term

The training fee of 1,800USD covers: course fee meals and coffee breaks double occupancy accommodation course-related materials field and agency visits, and airport transfers. Single room occupancy is available upon request and at extra cost. Fees do not include international airfare, laundry and incidental expenses. Applicants are encouraged to secure financial support from their organizations or donor agencies. IIRR reserves the right to cancel the course one month before the course starts if the required quorum is not met. This will be conveyed immediately to the applicants. Course fees will be refunded in full.

For more information and to receive an application form, contact:

Dulce Dominguez
Email: dulce.dominguez@iirr.org