Farmer Field Schools Research Articles

Adoption of Modern Agricultural Technologies Transferred through Farmer Field Schools in Bangladesh

Adoption of Modern Agricultural Technologies Transferred through Farmer Field Schools in Bangladesh

The Role of Biopesticide in Increasing Rice Farmer's Profit

Rice farmers' excessive use of chemical pesticides has increased the brown planthopper infestation. The Integrated Pest Management - Farmer Field School (SLPHT) conducted efforts to replace pesticides with environmentally friendly materials. Cost savings arise because the farmers of the "IPM community" apply IPM principles such as using self-made bio-pesticides, hence, the quality of the grain produced is rated higher. Therefore, this study aims to determine the characteristics of farmers using production factors and to analyze the effect of biological pesticides on the profits of rice cultivars in the Indramayu Regency. The analysis tool consists of descriptive qualitative and multiple linear regression using pesticides as the independent variable. The highest cost of rice farming is the labor of 52% - 67%. Furthermore, approximately 61.8% of farmers own paddy fields measuring between ​​0.5 ha - 2 ha. The proportion of cultivars that uses biological and chemical pesticides are only 24.4% and 75.6%, respectively. The test shows that labor is a burden on farmers. This was observed from its negative effect, while the land area has a positive and significant impact on their profit levels. The results of this study are essential. This is shown by the negative relationship between profits and biological pesticides, indicating that the use of these pesticides did not provide better benefits than the chemical counterpart.

Exploring the Impact of Farmer Field Schools on the Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices and Farm Production: A Case of Pakistani Citrus Growers

In the wake of recent climate changes, extension services have become crucial drivers in disseminating information about the latest agriculture technologies and facilitating sustainable agricultural productivity. Pakistan’s traditional extension cannot yield the expected outcomes which corroborate the introduction of a participatory approach, mainly in farmers’ field schools. Using farm-level data from Punjab province, the current study examined the impact of farmers’ field schools (FFS) on adopting sustainable agriculture practices (SAPs) and citrus yield. The study employed recursive bivariate probit and propensity score matching to explore the objectives. The findings revealed that FFS participants had a higher SAPs adoption than non-participants, demonstrating the positive impact of FFS on the uptake of SAPs. Moreover, the treatment effect showed that FFS participants had a higher yield than the non-participants. The results suggest strengthening and enhancing FFS reach among citrus growers.

Impact of integrated pest management farmer field school programs in the subtropics of Jammu and Kashmir, India

To quantify the long-term impacts of integrated pest management farmer field school (IPM-FFS) program on rice and vegetables in the subtropics of Jammu and Kashmir, we conducted a field study using latitudinal comparison (with vs. without FFS) and cross-sectional longitudinal comparisons. Our results show contrasting use of pesticides by both rice and vegetable farmers in the subtropical region of Jammu. Rice cultivation in the study area was found to be free of insecticides and fungicides. In vegetable crops, IPM-FFS farmers reduced the number of pesticide applications by 7% but used 27.8% higher amounts of pesticide active ingredients resulting in 59% higher field use environmental impact quotient of pesticide use, mainly driven by the higher fungicide use. Over time, the impact of IPM-FFS fleet as the farmers trained 4–8 years before the survey reported significantly higher number of pesticide applications in vegetable crops (by 49%) compared to those trained 1–3 years. We suggest that IPM dissemination should be reoriented for rationalizing pesticide use, as long-term outcomes of reduced pesticide use do not present a positive impact.

How do farmers change their practices at the farm level after co-design processes in Farmer Field Schools?

CONTEXTFarmers are increasingly recognized as the designers of their own production systems, and face challenges that call for context-specific innovations. Co-designing innovations with farmers is one way to tailor options to local constraints and resources. However, studies on how farmers implement agroecological practices after a co-design process are rare, especially at the farm level. OBJECTIVEThis study analyses how farmers' implementation of technical innovations co-designed during Farmer Field Schools (FFS), an adult education and rural development approach, brings farmers to change their practices at the farm level. We also explore whether the potential to induce changes at the farm level varies with the cropping system targeted by the FFS or with the gender of participants. METHODSTo study the outcomes at the farm level of the co-design process in FFS, we established an analytical framework based on four sub-systems identified within family farming systems in the cotton growing area in West Africa: vegetable gardening, rainy season cropping, livestock management and organic fertilizer production. We applied the framework to a case study in northern Togo on FFS promoting the agroecological transition of family farms. Four FFS were sampled; three covered two different cropping systems (vegetable gardening and rainy season crops) in separate sessions while the fourth FFS only covered vegetable gardening. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 farmers (19 men, 11 women) all former participants in either vegetable gardening FFS (n = 8), rainy season cropping FFS (n = 10) or both (n = 12). The interviews took place two years after the end of FFS activities and covered changes in practices in the four farm sub-systems identified. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSOur results show that the changes in practices were not limited to the cropping system addressed during the FFS attended by each farmer. Participation in the FFS triggered changes in practices at the farm level in livestock systems and organic fertilizer production among the farmers we surveyed. The vegetable gardening FFS had a distinct effect on the development of vegetable gardening activities, but the effects of the rainy season crop FFS were less specific. Farmers who attended both FFS did not change more practices than farmers who attended only one FFS. The gender of the participants did not lead to more, less, or different changes in farm practices. SIGNIFICANCEOur framework reveals the systemic nature of the changes in practices in family farms. This was made possible by the collaborative implementation of the sampled FFS and the agroecological principles covered in the FFS curricula. This study provides insights for the implementation of co-design processes to support farmers in their processes of change in practices and redesign of their farming systems, which are crucial to agroecological transitions.

Discovering the impact of farmer field schools on the adoption of environmental-friendly technology

Excessive use of irrigation and fertilizers aggravates water shortage and challenges environmental sustainability. Although environment friendly technologies save water and fertilizer, yet their adoption rate remains low. One possible reason for this is the lack information about them, which necessitates effective information-delivering agricultural extension modes. Using data from 274 tomato and cucumber farm households in Beijing, this study examined the effect of farmer field schools (FFS) on promoting the adoption of environment friendly irrigation and fertilization technologies. We found evidence that FFS training significantly increases the adoption rate of environment friendly irrigation and fertilization technologies. The results suggest that the FFS program is an effective approach to extend environment friendly irrigation technologies to partially solve the problem of water shortage and nitrate leaching. We propose extending the FFS program to fields other than integrated pest management.

Improving smallholder farmer's soil nutrient management: the effect of science and technology backyards in the North China plain

PurposeSoil nutrient management and fertilizer use by farmers are important for sustainable grain production. The authors examined the effect of an experimental agricultural extension program, the science and technology backyard, in promoting sustainable soil nutrient management in the North China Plain (NCP). The science and technology backyard integrates farmer field schools, field demonstrations, and case-to-case counselling to promote sustainable farming practices among rural smallholders.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a large-scale household survey of more than 2,000 rural smallholders. The authors used a multivariate regression analysis as the benchmark to assess the effect of the science-and-technology backyard on smallholder soil nutrient management. Furthermore, the authors used coarse exact matching (CEM) methods to control for potential bias due to self-selection and the (endogenous) switching regression approach as the main empirical analysis.FindingsThe results show that the science-and-technology backyard program increased smallholders' wheat yield by approximately 0.23 standard deviation; however, no significant increase in maize yield was observed. Regarding soil nutrient use efficiency, the authors found a significant improvement in smallholders' phosphorus and potassium use efficiencies for both wheat and maize production, and a significant improvement in nitrogen use efficiency for wheat production, but no significant improvement of nitrogen use efficiency for maize production.Originality/valueThis study evaluated a novel participatory agricultural extension model to improve soil nutrient management practices among smallholders. The integration of agronomists' scientific knowledge and smallholders' local contextual experiences could be an effective way to improve farmers' soil nutrient management. This study provides the first quantitative estimates based on rigorous impact assessment methods of this novel extension approach in rural China.

Rural Communication Services (RCS) and Appropriation of Flatbed Dryers among Farmers in Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, Philippines

This study analyses the impact of rural communication services (RCS) on rice farmers’ appropriation of flatbed dryers in Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, Philippines. The study faces the problem from the sociopsychological lens of viewing communication problems. A survey of 131 rice farmers from three barangays in Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, namely Pulong Buli, Mambarao and Malaya has been conducted to collect data. For the key informant interview (KII), informants/interviewees were leaders of farmers’ organisations, municipal agricultural officer, agricultural technicians, and flatbed dryer developers. The findings reveal that there is a source-driven orientation of communication services in the study area as the majority of the rice farmers passively receive information from different sources. The most accessed RCS provider was the municipal agriculture office. Farmers viewed that information as relevant to their needs because they were able to utilise them in their farming practices and they were compatible with the existing methods and practices. Most of the respondents were engaged in person-to-person communication in accessing information about the flatbed dryer. Attending seminars and training, cooperative assemblies and membership in Farmers’ Field School (FFS) were among the opportunities where the respondents engaged in peer learning.

What affects farmers in choosing better agroforestry practice as a strategy of climate change adaptation? An experience from the mid-hills of Nepal

Determinants for choosing climate change adaptation strategies and selecting improved agroforestry practices have rarely been explored, while numerous studies have been conducted on climate change and agroforestry. This paper discusses; local understanding of climate change, climatic impacts, and factors that affect farmers’ choices of adaptation strategies, and agroforestry practices. We focused on three districts located in the mid-hills of Nepal, where farmers were adopting agroforestry practices in two forms; traditional and improved practices. We followed three techniques of social survey; household survey (n = 420), focus group discussions (n = 6), and key informant interviews (n = 24). Almost all farmers of the study areas were experiencing climatic challenges, but only 59.29% of them accepted that the challenges are induced by climate change and, likewise, 55.24% have adopted climate change adaptation measures. Diversifying crop production, shifting farming practices, changing occupation, and emigration were local adaptation strategies. Livelihood improvement, income generation, and food production were the primary motives for adopting agroforestry practices in the study area. Agroforestry as an adaptation measure to climate change was considered secondary by most farmers. Statistical analysis using a logit model revealed that age, education, and habit of growing commercial species significantly influenced farmers adopting climate change adaptation strategies. Likewise, age, education, gender, habit of growing commercial species, and income from tree products significantly influenced the choice of improved agroforestry practices as a better option. Though agroforestry was widely considered a strategy to combat climate change, only some farmers accepted it due to their awareness level. Therefore, education programs such as training, farmer field schools, door-to-door visits, etc., should be intensified to sensitize farmers about climate change and encourage them to adopt improved agroforestry practices. The findings of the study could reinforce local, national, and international allied agencies to design operative actions in the days to come.

English

The aim of this research was to evaluate Farmer Field School’s (FFS) capacity to boost the knowledge of farmers in Calabar Agricultural Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria. Specifically, the research aimed to describe the socio-economic characteristics of respondents; assess the effectiveness of FFS on training farmers, improving their knowledge and utilization of new technologies; and ascertain constraints faced by farmers in FFS training. The study adopted multi-stage and purposive sampling techniques to select 318 respondents. Descriptive statistics such as means and percentages were employed to analyze the data. The results revealed that most (64.5%) of the respondents were men; 39.3 and 86.5% were married with a mean household size of 6 persons. On participation, the results indicated that FFS was perceived to be effective in allowing farmers to participate highly in activities such as location of experimental site (=2.94), experimenting with new methods and techniques (=2.90) among others. From the findings, it was revealed that FFS was effective in training participants, such as in helping them to learn new ways of doing things in their farm (=2.84) among others. Analysis of the results further revealed that Farmer Field School was effective in increasing the knowledge of participants on many factors in the farm environment. FFS was also perceived to be effective in influencing most of the participants to utilize about 71% of the technologies captured in this study. The most salient constraints uncovered by the study were non-availability of inputs, followed by inadequate trial and training materials. After thorough investigation and analysis, it was concluded that FFS is an effective agricultural knowledge booster. Based on the findings, it was recommended that FFS should be utilized to design and implement trainings, especially when introducing any innovation to farmers. Key words: Farmer field school, extension, training, knowledge, participation.

Sustainability and impact assessment of IPM in Basmati rice (Oryza sativa)

Integrated pest management (IPM) strategy has greatly contributed to a progressive commitment for sustainable agriculture in India. Long term studies conducted on validation and promotion of IPM in basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) in district Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India resulted in a gradual enhancement in the area under IPM from 40 ha in 2010 by participation of 25 farmers to 990 ha in 2019 by participation of 654 farmers from 42 villages. Implementation of IPM technology resulted in a significant (P<0.05) reduction in the incidence of yellow stem borer (69.64%), leaf folder (70.9%), brown plant hopper (55.52%), bakane (90.98%) and the population of root-knot nematode (76.8%) over farmers’ practices (FP). It enhanced the population of predatory spiders (84.2%), beneficial soilnematodes (159.27%) and bio-agents, viz. Pseudomonas fluorescens (78.74%) and Trichoderma harzianum (81.34%) over FP. Application of chemical pesticides was reduced to 75.25 g/ha in IPM against 892.93 g/ha in farmers’ practice. The maximum residue level of buprofezin, a widely used insecticide, was recorded below detectable level in paddy grains. Long term studies indicated higher yield (38.0 q/ha) as well as benefit:cost ratio (3.6) in IPM as compared to FP yield (30.5 q/ha) and benefit:cost ratio (2.3) with 58.3% enhancement in net return over FP. Thorough analysis of the data indicated the availability of critical inputs, accessibility of farmers to subject matter specialists through Farmer Field Schools and market for IPM produces as the main factors responsible for sustainability and horizontal spread of IPM in Gautam Budh Nagar.

Smallholder farmers access to climate information and climate smart adaptation practices in the northern region of Ghana

In Ghana over 70% of people who are employed in the agricultural sector are smallholder farmers' living in less developed communities engaging in rudimentary agriculture. Climate change poses a serious threat to smallholder farmers which impacts on their income, food security and wellbeing. Climate information could be a vital resort for smallholder farmers' adoption of climate smart adaptation strategies in order to better manage climate risk. This study is aimed at investigating factors that influence smallholder farmers' joint decision to access climate information as well as adopt climate smart adaptation practices in the Northern Region. Data used was collected from a cross-sectional survey of 475 smallholder farmers'. The joint decision of smallholder farmers to access climate information and also adopt climate smart adaptation practices was analysed by using bivariate probit regression model. The econometric estimates reveal that age, household size, farm income, access to agricultural extension services and assets are the key drivers of smallholder farmers joint decision to access climate information and adopt climate smart adaption practices. Government, district assemblies and non governmental organisations supporting smallholder farmers’ adoption of climate smart adaptation strategies in order to overcome climate risk should also assist in the accessibility of climate information since they complement one another. Smallholder farmers literacy and knowledge level should be increased through non-formal and informal educational programmes, and extension education using the farmer-field schools method.

The role of culture on pest management innovation; a comparative analysis of two farmer communities in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT The Agricultural Innovation System perspective highlights the importance of interaction for learning and innovation, but so far little research is done on the cultural differences of farmers and the effect this has on interaction, knowledge sharing and innovation. We took a cultural perspective to better understand local interaction, knowledge sharing and learning dynamics, and uptake of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Bangladesh where the Department of Agricultural Extension organizes Farmer Field Schools (FFS) for IPM. However, the success of the FFS approach at farmer level is quite diverse. We coupled an ethnographic study with an analysis, based on Cultural Theory, to identify the cultural pattern of behaviour, underlying preferences of social organization, and the effect this has on pest management innovation in two farmer communities. Findings showed that in one village with strong group solidarity, farmers tended to share knowledge in a wide network, and started to apply IPM while reducing pesticide use. In the other community, individualism and fatalism prevailed and farmers only shared knowledge within their close network, distrusted outsiders and continued to rely on pesticides. We conclude that it is important to include cultural studies in cross-disciplinary research and design of local innovation interventions.

Sekolah Lapang Petani sebagai Community of Practice Pengembangan Inovasi Kelompok di Era Digital

Farmer Field School (FFS) is a learning exchange method used by the farmers to find solution. In this digital era, farmers also exchange knowledge and information through digital platform. The research objective is to investigate the practices of FFS by farmers/female farmers in the form of Community of Practice nowadays. The research was conducted in Situgede Village, Bogor that has a typical of rural-urban community. Data on FFS, business groups and agricultural innovations were collected through in-depth interviews, observations and focus group discussions. The data and information were processed using NVivo software. The results show that the farmers practice FFS to solve on-farm issues, learning methods, cooperation and achieve the group’s objectives. The community groups used social media to communicate in addition to in person’s meetings. Situgede ecotourism development opens job opportunity and new business. The Dalima Female Farmer Group has produced organic red and black rice that sold through direct selling and via an e-commerce up to the end of 2021. One group run by youths produces herbal drink products. All groups have obstacles of water and land availability for agriculture, member participation, and innovation. The groups learn from other villages to solve the issues. In conclusion, FFS as a CoP is practiced based on the current issues faced in the fields.

Indigenous organic resources utilization, application methods and sowing time replenish soil nitrogen and increase maize yield and total dry biomass

Wise management of indigenous resources replenishes soil nutrients and improves crop productivity and soil sustainability. Three year consecutive experiments were performed in the framework of Farmers Field School (FFS) during 2012–2014. Organic nitrogen sources [animal-urine (AU), animal-manures (AM), and animal manure-compost (AMC) with two application methods [interior-application method (IAM) and exterior-application method (EAM)] and three sowing timing [early sowing (ES), late-sowing (LS), and timely sowing (TS)] were studied. One control plot in each replication was placed as a check. The results showed that among different sowing time, TS has higher grains year−1, 1000 grains weight, dry biomass, grain yield and harvest index (HI) than LS and ES. AM delayed silking and physiological maturation. A higher grains year−1, 1000 grains weight, grain yield, total dry biomass, and HI were observed with AMC than control plots. In application methods, the IAM has delayed the silking and physiological maturity as compared to EAM. Similarly, higher grains year−1, 1000 grains weight, grain yield, dry biomass, and HI were observed with IAM than EAM. In sowing timing, higher grain nitrogen (GN) was observed in TS. Higher GN produced by AMC and AU treated plots. AMC produced 10% higher GN than manures treated plots. The IAM produced higher GN than EAM. The AMC produced significantly higher soil N and statistically at par with AU treated plots. IAM applied AMC, maize grain yield was higher than the AU and AM. In conclusion, AMC and AU embedded in soil with TS can sustainably increase maize yield and soil productivity.

Knowledge and Acceptance Level of Vegetable Farmers on Organic Farming and Biological Control in Kampar, Perak

Organic farming practices and biological control (biocontrol) are relatively less adopted in agriculture compared to conventional agricultural practices globally. In recent years, it is becoming more common, but in Malaysia it is still disfavored. Generally, in Malaysia, not many farmers are practicing organic farming and adopting biocontrol. This study aims to determine the level of knowledge and acceptance of vegetable farmers about organic farming practices and biocontrol in the Kampar district. Fifty farmers were selected using non-probability sampling, whereas face-to-face and telephone interviews were conducted to collect data with the aid of a questionnaire. The respondents had a good level of knowledge (mean score of 4.00) and a neutral perception on the economic benefits of organic farming (mean score of 2.65). They have a moderate level of knowledge on biocontrol (mean score of 3.24). The respondents’ acceptance level for organic farming practices (mean score of 2.65) and biocontrol (mean score of 3.13) were neutral, mainly due to the low local demand for organic vegetables and the low confidence in the effectiveness of biocontrol. The respondents possess moderate knowledge of organic farming and biocontrol but conventional farming was still preferred. The acceptance level for these practices remained neutral. Participatory program such as farmer field school can be introduced to increase the adoption of these practices.

Impact of Farmer Field School on Crop Income, Agroecology, and Farmer’s Behavior in Farming: A Case Study on Cumilla District in Bangladesh

The Farmer Field School is a season-long training for farmers involving participatory activities and interactive learning with the doctrine of integrated pest management and agroecosystem analysis. It has become a popular education and extension approach worldwide. This study tried to evaluate the FFS as a vehicle for sustainable agriculture which has economic viability, ecological soundness, and social acceptability. The study aimed to analyze the impact of the FFS on crop income, agroecology, and farmers’ behavior in farming. The empirical models, such as propensity score matching, Mahalanobis distance matching, and difference in differences, were applied for estimating the impact of FFS on crop income, more specifically, real income from brinjal. The environmental impact quotient was used to assess the agroecological impact of using pesticide, and a graded response model was used to investigate farmer behavioral changes in farming. The treatment effect based on the empirical models has shown a positive, significant effect on crop income. The findings also revealed that FFS farmers had a lower agroecological impact from pesticide use, and their behavior in farming practices was improved. Therefore, FFS was demonstrated to be a key strategy in strengthening agricultural extension services, which will contribute to promoting sustainable agriculture.

Role of institutional factors in climate‐smart technology adoption in agriculture: Evidence from an Eastern Indian state

Climate change threatens rural livelihoods by adversely affecting agricultural production through reduced crop yields, harvest loss, and increased cost of production. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices have emerged as a possible solution to ensure food security by adapting to climate risks on the one hand, and mitigating GHG emissions from agriculture, on the other hand. However, resource-poor farmers often face both financial and knowledge constraints to adopt CSA practices, and thus, institutional support plays a crucial role in overcoming those barriers. Therefore, this study uses primary data collected from 248 farm households in the Eastern Indian state of Odisha to examine the role of institutional factors in CSA adoption. Almost 95% of the sample farmers experienced the effects of climate change, and many have adopted CSA practices such as rescheduling planting (78%), crop rotation (56%), crop diversification (35%), micro-irrigation (17%), and drought-resistant seeds (16%). Probit models are estimated to explore the key determinants of the adoption of these five major practices. Results show that factors such as government extension service, farmer field school participation, subsidies, access to energy, and perception of climate shocks are the major determinants. Further, the coefficient of interaction between landholding and credit availability on the decision to adopt CSA is positive. Thus, agricultural policies to improve institutional support, such as subsidies on farm machinery, extension support, credit facility, and field demonstration of technologies, are crucial to upscale CSA adoption in the region.

Effectiveness of Farmer Field School on the Productivity of Cassava Farmers in Calabar Agricultural Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria

The goal of this research was to assess the effectiveness of Farmer Field School on the productivity of cassava farmers in Calabar agricultural zone, Cross River State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of respondents; determine the perceived effectiveness of FFS as an extension approach; and assess the perceived effectiveness of FFS on farmers’ productivity one hypothesis, “there is no significant difference between yield and income of participants before and after participation in FFS” was formulated to serve as a guide for the research. Multi-stage and purposive sampling procedures were used to select 320 respondents for the study. However, on retrieval, 318 questionnaires were realized. Primary and secondary data were the main sources of information for the study. Structured questionnaire, validated and tested for reliability was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency and percentages, were used to analyze the objectives. Paired t-test was used to analyze the hypothesis. The result revealed that majority (64.5%) of the respondents were men, 39.3 percent were between the age bracket of 31-40 years, 86.5 percent were married, with a mean household size of 6 persons. The result further showed that FFS was positively perceived to be an effective extension approach (¯x=2.83); helping farmers gather useful information to improve their farming (¯x=2.84), among others. The result also showed that FFS was perceived to be effective in increasing the output and income of farmers after participation. Paired t-test revealed average yield of 69.90kg and 146.96kg, as well as average income of N35,773.58 and N75,411.95, before and after FFS. The difference was significant at 0.01 alpha level. FFS should be scaled up to cover all the Local Government Areas in the State and Country at large. It was also recommended that FFS should be used by extension service providers as effective training approach to avail participants with hands-on knowledge about their enterprises.

Social-technical interventions to reduce antimicrobial resistance in agriculture: evidence from poultry Farmer Field Schools in Ghana and Kenya.

ObjectivesTo assess the feasibility of the Farmer Field School approach to address the complex problem of antimicrobial resistance in agriculture, specifically within small-to-medium-scale layer poultry systems in Ghana and Kenya. Impact was assessed across three domains relevant to the emergence and selection of antimicrobial resistance, including infection, prevention, and control practices, engagement with animal health professionals, and knowledge, attitudes, and practices on antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance.MethodsFarmer Field Schools were held in Ghana (N = 2) and Kenya (N = 3) across an eight-month period with an average of 18 participants in each school. After completion, a quantitative evaluation survey was administered to participants and a sample of non-participants (Ghana; N = 97) (Kenya; N = 103). Logistic and ordinary least squares regression were used to assess differences between participants and non-participants on the three domains.ResultsParticipation in a layer poultry Farmer Field School in Ghana and Kenya is associated with self-reported reductions in antibiotic use, particularly for prevention, an increased investment in farm infection, prevention, and control practices, including the use of footbaths and personal protective equipment, and enhanced engagement with animal health professionals.ConclusionsAntimicrobial resistance is a complex problem driven by a wide range of practices and multiple stakeholders. To holistically address these factors requires the use of complex intervention approaches. The Farmer Field School approach offers a complex intervention methodology that can reduce the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in agricultural systems through targeting the variety of on-farm and off-farm factors that drive resistance.