JUNIOUR FARMER FIELD & LIFE S C H O O O L T T R A INING MODULE FAC ILITATOR’S FIELD TRAINING GUIDE 2011 Developed by Baha Nguma TABLE OF CONTENTS JFFLS Consultant/Master Trainer 0 A V S I U G A N D A 2 0 1 1 Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………………………………………………………………2 PREFACE……………………………………………………………………………………..3 LIST OF ACRONYM…………………………………………………….…………………..5 SECTION 1 General Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….6 SECTION 2 Introduction to Facilitator…………………………………………………………………………………….7 SECTION 3 Training Course Preparation………………………………………………………………………………….10 SECTION 4 Learning Module 1: Preparation…………………………………………………………………...…………......11 Learning Module 2: Planning…………………………………………………………………………..………....18 Learning Module3: Growing up healthy……………………………………………………………………….33 Learning Module 4: Diversity……………………………………………………………………………….........44 Learning Module 5: Protection……………………………………………………………………………...........54 Learning Module 6: Water for Life………………………………………………………………………...…….71 Learning Module 7: Threats and Loss………………………………………………………………………………………......80 References………………………..………………………………………………………….86 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 1 I would like to thank the AVSI Uganda staff in Kitgum for their enormous support during the preparation and development of this Participatory Junior Farmer Field and Life School TRAINING MODULE. Special thanks go to Mr. Francesco Frigerio, the Area Team Leader for AVSI in Kitgum, Pader and Lamwo Districts, to Mrs. Sara Pasolini, the Program Manager of Education for AVSI in Kitgum and Lamwo Districts, and to Mr. Okidi George Okot, the Junior Farmer Field and Life School Coordinator for AVSI in Kitgum and Gulu Districts, for his active presence and commitment during the whole training section. The JFFLS TOT was indeed a valuable ‘learning process’ as we intended it to be for all who attended the training. The outputs of the training of facilitators went along way to contributing to the outcome of this training module. I am particularly indebted indirectly to the fraternity of FFS/JFFLS Master Trainers in Kenya & Uganda and other FFS practitioners who over the years have put many efforts in developing similar guidelines for different enterprises. I must admit the moral support I have gained through interacting with them in seminars, write shops and trainings has immensely contributed to this product. Finally I wish to register my gratitude to the people of Kitgum, more so the group of trainees and Departmental Heads of various Ministries with whom I interacted with during my stay in Kitgum, Northern Uganda. May God bless you All. BAHA NGUMA JFFLS Consultant/Master Trainer 2 PREFACE Juniour Farmer Field and Life Schools were created to respond to the growing number of children orphaned by AIDS. JFFLS are designed to empower orphans and other vulnerable children who live in communities where HIV/AIDS has had a strong impact. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and other partners have piloted JFFLS in several sub-Saharan African countries. The JFFLS approach and curriculum are based on three pillars: an experimental learning field, special topics in agriculture, and life skills. The three pillars 1. Field Learning Topics 2. Special Agricultural Topics 3. Life Skills Topics Experimental Learning Field. The field should be used as a place for experimental learning where children begin to understand food security and nutrition and are also exposed to the complexity of proper gardening. The field should be used to learn about and grow: • staples to meet basic food needs, and a nutritional garden for healthy growth; • long-term crops, such as cassava, pineapple and sweet potatoes, to introduce planning for the future and investing; • local vegetables and medicinal plants to address health care; • agro forestry to provide fuel wood and to maintain soil fertility and erosion control. Special Agriculture Topics. Field learning should always be accompanied by special topics and good agricultural practices such as integrated pest management and intercropping. The topics should have a practical application. They should also include traditional and modern agricultural practices for the entire cycle of agricultural activities: preparation, sowing and transplanting, weeding, irrigation, pest control, use and conservation of available resources, use and processing of food crops, harvesting, storage and marketing skills. Again, innovation and creativity should be promoted to find solutions to any constraints, such as low-input 3 agricultural production activities and labour-saving technologies and practices. Conservation agriculture is introduced in the first Module and community members should be invited to teach local agricultural production skills that have not been passed down because of the early death of parents. Life Skills. It is very important that each module also include a life skills component that corresponds to the learning field activities and agricultural cycle. In this way, the children can make the “magic link” between how they take care of their fields and how they take care of themselves. For example: • Planning – the children undertake initial agricultural planning and explore their own aspirations. • Growing up healthy – the children explore what it takes to grow a healthy crop, and how good hygiene and nutrition can help them grow up healthy. • Diversity – the children explore how diversity in food production helps support food security, and how gender equity and respect for diversity help strengthen the community. • Protection – the children learn how to protect their crops from pests and disease, and learn how to protect themselves from threats such as HIV, violence and exploitation. 4 LIST OF ACRONYMS AESA - Agro-Ecosystem Analysis AEZ - Agro-Ecological Zone AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome FAO - Food and Agricultural Organisation FFS - Farmer Field Schools GOSS - Government of Southern Sudan HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus IDP - Internally Displaced Person IPM - Integrated Pest Management JFFLS Juniour Farmer Field and Life School KES - Kenya Shillings LC - Local Leader NGO - Non Governmental Organization OVC - Orphaned and Vulnerable Farmers PEV - Post Election Violence PTD - Participatory Technology Development TOT - Training of Trainers WHO - World Health Organization 5 SECTION 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.1 The content of the training module This Guideline is a TOOL KIT providing JFFLS implementation guidelines alongside relevant exercises, energizers and practical activities for the facilitators. 1.2 Terms of reference The consultant was selected for the Training of Facilitators in Kiptgum,NorthernUganda because of 1) his experience in Participatory Extension Training, vast FFS/JFFLS TOT facilitation background, JFFLS implementation, monitoring and evaluation in Kenya, 2) his outstanding experience in working with small holder farmers in addressing issues of food insecurity for various Institutions and NGOs and 3} his experience in training curriculum/module development taking advantage of his strong background and specialty in horticulture. 1.3 Purpose of the consultancy/Training The purpose of the consultancy was to conduct and administer a training of trainer workshop on the principles, practices, and approaches for running a successful Junior Farmer Field and Life School. The consultancy was intended to introduce the concept of Junior Farmer Field and Life School to the State Ministry of Agriculture and Education respectively, AVSI Supervisor as well as Local Community Leaders and build their capacity to successfully run a Junior Farmer Field and Life School. 1.4 Role of the Consultant: The consultant was expected to play the following roles: 1. Development of an JFFLS implementation guide 2. Provide exposure training on the FFS approach 3. Run Training of Facilitators course for 30 people 4. Document the proceedings of the workshop. 6 SECTION 2 2.1 INTRODUCTION TO FACILITATOR This manual has been developed to support facilitators in their work with children aged 12-18 years who are actively involved in a Junior Farmer Field and Life School (JFFLS) in their community. How to use this Manual This manual contains nine learning modules, each one corresponding to a stage of the agricultural/ life cycle. The modules are as follows: • Preparation • Planning • Growing up Healthy • Diversity • Protection • Water for life • Threats and loss Each module provides an overview of the stage of the agricultural/life cycle, describing the different activities and concepts that facilitators should consider when working with the children. It then provides some sample activities for each of the three pillars, as well as some “energizers” and cultural activities that can be used to energize the children at the beginning of each session and help them relax and reinforce or reflect on their learning at the end of each session. Each module ends with an “evaluation” activity to get a learners’ feedback on what worked well in that module, and what could be improved. The sample activities form the “backbone” of the curriculum. Facilitators can arrange and adapt them as they like. They can also substitute or add other activities that they feel would be appropriate. The most important thing is that the three pillars are taken up in each session, and that the children “learn by doing”. Keep in Mind..... That JFFLS activities respond to the needs and interests of both boys and girls As you develop your curriculum and begin your training activities, you should be sensitive to the different needs and interests of boys and girls that may come up while attending the JFFLS. Here is a list of some of things that you can do to promote an equal learning environment for boys and girls. This list is by no means comprehensive; you can come up with many other ways. 7 • Watch to see who is participating in the discussions. Are girls speaking? Are boys? If not, how can you ensure they feel comfortable to talk? You can break down large mixed groups into smaller mixed groups or separate groups of boys and girls (depending on the situation and topic) so the discussion might flow more freely. You can then bring everyone back to a larger group for an overall discussion. • Encourage boys and girls to change roles during their role play activities. • Ensure girls and boys share tasks in the learning field. • While exploring an agricultural technique, ask the children who usually does this activity in their community – men or women? Ask them why they think this is the case. Ask them if girls can do boys’ work and boys can do girls’ work. Get them to think broadly and question why or why not. Encourage them to exploration and exchange ideas. • Promote respect and encourage participants to listen to all of the boys and girls and to value their input (whether they are right or wrong). • Never show differential treatment towards boys and girls when you are working with them. Show that you believe that each one is as capable as the next and can do whatever task is at hand. • Ask the children with whom you are working for their ideas on how the learning environment can be equal for the boys and girls participating. Give them a chance to share their ideas too. Assessing participants’ learning is important It is important to assess how children are learning so that the JFFLS sessions can be modified if you find that children need more attention on certain issues. Remember: assessing is not about judging children right or wrong or better or worse than other children. All children learn in different ways and at different paces. They may also have interests that motivate them to do well in particular activities. There are many ways to assess children’s learning. Schools use one way – by grading students. However, there are so many creative ways of assessing a child’s learning that build self-confidence and motivates him or her to learn further. For example, if the children have been working on honey production or mushroom cultivation, you could set up a cooperative game where the children have to work in teams and work through a problem. They can come back to the larger group to present their work. This will give you a chance to evaluate what they have learned as well as identify gaps that need more attention. Or you may want to invite the children to draw something that represents their learning. For example, if you ask them to draw the agricultural season, then you can ask them specific questions about what you see in their drawing. This gives them a chance to tell you more about what they know. You can ask them to draw a picture of what they think represents “gender equality”. 8 Using the drawing, you can ask questions to get the children talking more about it. You can then assess the status of the child’s skill base and growth. Many individual JFFLS activities have an assessment component already built in: the children demonstrate (and facilitators observe) through drawing, demonstration, role play, or other activities that they can perform the skill described in the activity’s learning objective. If not all children demonstrate that they have adequately mastered a certain skill, facilitators can add supplementary activities to strengthen the children’s skills. 9