PARTICIPATORY EXTENSION PROCESSES AS CATALYST FOR CHANGE IN SOCIAL DYNAMICS AMONG RURAL POOR

Esbern Friis-Hansen (1) , Deborah Duveskog (2) , Edward W. Taylor (3)

1 DIIS - Danish Institute for International Studies
2 SLU - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences = Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
3 Penn State - Pennsylvania State University

As agricultural education based on participatory approaches expand, knowledge is needed about the impact it has on the daily lives of participants beyond farming gains. The study explores how involvement in the participatory extension practice “Farmer Field Schools (FFS)” results in shifting world views among participants and to what extent it has an impact on peoples' sense of well-being and agency in society. The paper discuss how transformative learning in participatory research and extension enables poor people to gain agency; generate more equitable spousal relations; improve relationships with community and adopt more productive and profitable farming and marketing practices that contribute to a sustainable society.

Mots clés: Kenya; participatory extension; Farmer Field Schools; empowerment; transformative learning; resource poor farmers

Domaines: Agriculture, économie et politique

Esbern Friis-Hansen, Deborah Duveskog, Edward W. Taylor. PARTICIPATORY EXTENSION PROCESSES AS CATALYST FOR CHANGE IN SOCIAL DYNAMICS AMONG RURAL POOR. ISDA 2010, Jun 2010, Montpellier, France. 9 p. ⟨hal-00522583⟩