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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #348464
Research Project: Development of Alternative Intervention Technologies for Fresh or Minimally Processed Foods

Location: Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research

Title: Addressing the human and technical dimensions of potato IPM using farmer field schools (FFS): CIP and partners' experience on late blight management

Author
item ORTIZ, OSCAR - International Potato Center
item NELSON, REBECCA - Cornell University
item Olanya, Modesto
item THIELE, GRAHAM - International Potato Center
item ORREGO, RICARDO - International Potato Center
item PRADEL, WILLIAM - International Potato Center

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/28/2017
Publication Date: 3/18/2018
Citation: Ortiz, O., Nelson, R., Olanya, O.M., Thiele, G., Orrego, R., Pradel, W. 2018. Addressing the human and technical dimensions of potato IPM using farmer field schools (FFS): CIP and partners' experience on late blight management. Meeting Abstract. Page 52. In: 9th International IPM Symposium-Improving Health, Environment and Global Sustainabilty,March 19-22, 2018, Baltimore, MD 128 pg.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Starting in the 1990’s, the International Potato Center (CIP)’s integrated pest management team for potato late blight (IPM-LB) realized the importance of addressing the management of this complex potato disease by combining crop protection and management sciences, with social and behavioral sciences. Since the early 2000’s, the CIP team worked with research and development organizations (government and NGO) partners, working together for the first time, in Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Uganda, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru, to develop farmer discovery based learning methods – making principles of LB management more visible and understandable for farmers, and test LB management options, particularly new potato clones with resistance to the disease. Therefore, CIP and partners adapted the farmer field schools (FFS) approach to facilitate farmers’ access to information, knowledge and technologies. Based on the experience, several FFS-IPM-LB manuals were developed, published and used to train and conduct participatory research with farmers. Results indicated that farmers learned new knowledge, assessed new potato clones (some of which became formal varieties), and other management options in a participatory way. Adoption was reflected in 32% average increase in potato productivity and income in Peru, and similar changes occurred in the other countries. In addition, the participatory research and training approach had significant impact beyond potato IPM-LB as the approach continued to be used in diverse crops, topics and countries. For example, in Peru about 1500 FFS were implemented between 2005 and 2012 on IPM for potato and other cops (coffee, cocoa, and fruit trees), and in Uganda and Ethiopia the experienced expanded to potato seed management.