Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools

1. Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools Winfred Nalyongo, FAO-Uganda Presented at the Experts Meeting on Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development 20 -22 March 2013- Mauritius

2. The Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools • Adopted from the FFS approach approach nalyongo.pptx • Tailored to children b’tn12 – 18 years, in and/or out of school – originally OVCs. • Goal – enable children to grow into responsible adults • empower vulnerable children to direct their own future, improve their livelihoods and contribute to long-term food security • Three pronged approach: • practical study process – field is the learning laboratory • good agricultural practices, • entrepreneurship and life skills

3. The JFFLS ...cont’d • Through agriculture, children learn how to deal with other problems affecting them, their households, and communities • Cultivates their conceptual understanding of problems using stories, drama, songs, poems, to pass on important messages • Use of innovative tools to analyze situations: i.e. cause – effect relationships and make appropriate management decisions • Human Ecosystem Analysis [HESA] - comprehensive analysis of the problem and how it affects the child/hh/community; considering all factors - human, social, economic, political that influence it • Agro-Ecosystem Analysis [AESA] - observation, analysis, synthesis, presentation - focus on the crop or livestock & the environment • Learning follows the life cycle of the subject under study; involves regular observations of the field and the environment • Management decisions are based on observations; blend indigenous and scientific knowledge • Life skills are integrated during the learning cycle • Facilitators are a multi talented team – science, life skills, social animator;

4. Integrating Climate Change Education Gen. Problems due to CC variability e.g… Effects on Livelihoods –I;hh;com Floods – heavy rains; Prolonged drought; Animal/crop diseases Lack of pastures and water, crop failure , hunger, low sch’lattend’ce A n a l y s i s Causal factors Strategies HESA Human, Social, Economic, Political tree cutting, lack of skills, incomes.. Actions for Mitigation/Prevention Skills, Technologies, Practices, IGAs JFFLS learning activities – skills building, simple experiments & studies i. Env’l Protection – conservation of bio-diversity [medicinal plants]; tree planting/agro forestry, ESS ii. Simple technologies that respond to climate variability - tolerant varieties, pest resistant, high yielding/nutritious, PHH iii. Basic good agronomic/husbandrypractices- organic farming, ethno vet ;

6. Attributes - Learning • Experiential learning – blend indigenous knowledge and basic science • Systematic learning process – conceptual to practical; follow life cycle • Employ analytical processes to demystify science (‘’how and why’)’; for problem awareness, decision making; • Developed and tested tools that facilitate children’s learning & understanding of complex issues • Focus on a system of values and attitudes of children • Builds children’s self esteem and sense of responsibility through their contribution to dev’t issues

7. Attributes – structural • Wide stakeholder involvement: planning, reviews, monitoring .……. • Education departments in the district – integration of JFFLS learning activities in the school calendar and class sessions • Community development office – social animation • Local leaders - support & enforcement of rules that support the right of the child • Communities, parents and guardian – selection of participants, support children’s activities at school and home, e.glabour, adoption of practices at home; • Diffusion of knowledge & skills to the rest of the children in the school • Link to the adult FFS in their communities – undertaking group and community level actions to foster children’s cont’d learning and appreciation. [WSM, CMDRR, EWS…]

8. Thank you