Page 6 - Belgian Development Cooperation Newsletter_draft

at a time. Everything we learned we skills of farmers to take smart
put into practice immediately. For decision”. Our role is to facilitate the
example, after learning good planting learning process and to help them to
techniques, we would go back home build strong groups.”
and implement what we learned with
our first FFS group. Then we would After graduating, all facilitators of the
go back to our training course to learn district decided to create a
about weeding. And this continues cooperative to be able to work as
“Come on guys, let us take our future during the whole season. We spend professional service provider. Modest
in our own hands. We now have the many days away from home to learn was elected as President and now is
power and the opportunity to change technical skills, facilitations skills and constantly looking for new business
the lives of thousands of farmers. Let group building skills.” opportunities.
us sign this performance contract and
get the job done. Let’s “There are now
us be inspired by what more than 2500
HE President Kagame FFS facilitators who
told when he visited our are organized in 29
stand on the exhibition cooperatives such
a few month ago” as ours. We have
already reached
Modest is motivating 260,000 farmers all
the members of over Rwanda!” he
COFAR, the says proudly.
cooperative of Farmer
Field School (FFS) “Yes, that is a lot,
facilitators of Rubavu but it is just the
district, of which he is beginning!” He says
the President. He with a big smile on
explains a new his face. “We will
opportunity from a A FFS Facilitator working with a group of farmers © Dieter Telemans not stop until we have
French NGO that intents to hire the Another facilitator adds: “What is so reached every farmer or Rwanda!”
cooperative as service provider. This interesting about FFS, is that we
work will come in addition to the never tell farmers what they should His colleagues agree. “The farmers
contract they have already signed do. We as facilitators only give them are so happy when they can join an
with the district in the framework of opportunities to discover new things FFS group. It brings so many
the national extension model Twigire through observation and analysis. benefits. Productivity increases by
Muhinzi. But indeed, this is an That is why each FFS group has an more than 40%! And let us not forget
opportunity they can’t miss. All experimental field in which farmers all other benefits: members get
members agree. compare different varieties, different opportunities to save money in the
fertilizers, etc. The group members groups’ account, medical insurance is
Four years ago, Modest was a normal will meet every week to analyse what paid, school fees are paid, members
farmer like so many others. But then the effect is of the action they took talk about gender issues, family
he was selected to be trained as FFS the week before.” planning, nutrition, etc. Last but not
facilitator and everything changed. least, group members truly care for
That moment was the start of a very each other! We can talk hours about
exciting journey. the wonders FFS brings to us!” We
are united, empowered and extremely
“The training program was intense. motivated! Rwanda’s future is ours!
Together with other facilitators we “Indeed” intervenes Modest “The
had training sessions of several days
most important is that we build up the

The Rwandan FFS program was one of the finalists for the DAC Prize 2015. This prize is awarded by the Development
Assistance Committee of OECD for taking an innovative approach beyond the pilot phase to a wider application. “Innovation is
by construction and not just instruction. This principle of ‘constructionism’ is what the FFS project has applied to improve crops
yield. “FFS makes farmers more inclusive in the solution. This is welcomed in an ever dwindling and constrained resources
world of today” said the DAC Prize Jury.