Do Farmers Acquire Agricultural Knowledge from Neighbors? The Case Study of Farmer Field Schools in Anuradhapura District

Group extension techniques are widely used in agricultural extension outreach programmes, often in developing countries. The techniques involve demonstrating novel cultivation methods and technologies for local communities. However, many extension models have been implemented with limited success only. One of the popular group extension models, the farmer field schools (FFS) approach, is based on adult education principles such as experiential learning. Therefore, to understand the effectiveness of FFS on information diffusion to neighbors, a randomized field experiment and a field survey was conducted using 379 randomly-selected maize farmers in Anuradhapura District during February 2023. Data were analyzed using a logistic regression and found that FFS participation is more than three times (any figure or % better to include.) as effective in promoting the adoption of high-density planting and reducing pesticide application compared to other control variables. The overall results pose a vital policy implication for agriculture extension in Sri Lanka, where the FFS technique can serve as an effective tool for agriculture extension approaches, mostly in programs seeking to spread the new knowledge or skills across small population or groups. Findings further revealed that, FFS can increase knowledge of farmers on Integrated Pest Management, Integrated Plant Nutrient Management Systems, and crop agronomy, leading to an approximate 7% increase in yield. Moreover, FFS participants should be selected cautiously for effective and efficient transmission of key messages in the information delivery. However, there is a little evidence (any figure of %) that lessons learned are passed to nonparticipants or that an FFS is a likely basis for sustained group activity.