Hate, S.

IPM Farmer Field Schools: changing paradigms and scaling-up

This paper reviews the main characteristics of the Farmer Field School approach in Indonesia. It provides an account of the origins, orientation and farmer-centred objectives of the approach. Focusing on integrated pest management (IPM) it discusses issues of education and extension, farmer participation and farmers' knowledge and expertise. Finally, it illustrates the characteristics differentiating Field Schools from more conventional agricultural extension programmes.