Agroecology Advisory Services to Educate, Empower and Elevate Smallholder Farmers through Farmers Producer Company

In a nutshell

This project explores an innovative advisory model for agroecological vegetable farming based on farmer producer companies in India. Farmers will be organized in form of study groups around innovative farmers and are linked with various value chain actors via social media. Problems at field level will be identified and solved following the Participatory Technology Development (PTD) approach. This way, we redefine advisory as a process of learning for both farmers and extension staff and as a process of building capacities to explore and adapt agroecological practices.

Assessment by the Jury

Why is it needed?

This project satisfies a major need in the food system transformation process from conventional practices to agroecological ones. Agroecology is both knowledge and science demanding, and farmers often struggle with the transition.

What is innovative about it?

This project will address the transition issues by using social media which will allow for faster deployment of agroecological awareness, know-how and subsequent greater and faster scaling based on what works locally. The proposed Interactive innovation creation processes, using Participatory Technology Development (PTD) approaches to develop and learn alternative agroecological practices, will ensures sustainability.

"Promising, and with good success potential, is the inclusion of farmer and producer companies in the framework of a holistic approach to the food system."

Challenges ahead

A major challenge will be the very ambitious to do list. It’s certainly feasible given that project elements get done in sync. Of particular concern are the stakeholder mapping being completed, farmers and agroecological portfolios selected and training curricula set up. Furthermore, the inclusion of women in a more pro-active and prominent innovation process’s role would be a plus for this project’s success.