Developing Technology with Farmers: A Trainer's Guide for Participatory Learning

This manual is written for trainers in governmental and non-governmental development organizations who are preparing their staff to work together with farmers in developing technologies appropriate to ecological agriculture and using few external inputs. The training is designed to stimulate active learning by participants who draw on their own experience, an approach which mirrors the type of interaction between facilitator and farmers in Participatory Technology Development (PTD). PTD in agriculture is a process of interaction between local people and outside facilitators to develop more sustainable farming systems. It starts with a joint analysis of the situation, an activity commonly known as PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal). It continues by including participatory planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of local develpoment activities. The heart of PTD is experimentation with new ideas designed and conducted by farmers with the encouragement of PTD practitioners.