PROJECT ASSESSMENTS - Science for Agriculture and Rural Development in Low-income Countries - page 147

not only address the biophysical constraints to food production, but also to build up
social, economic and human capital for sustaining the production process among
smallholder farmers. The project has worked with 310 farming households in 11
Farmer Field Schools (FFS) in East Africa, analysed productivity constraints in low
to high agricultural production areas, trained extension workers on FFS methodo-
logy, developed and tested technologies with farmers and engaged policymakers in
formulating FFS-INM friendly policies. The success of this methodology is that it
brings all the stakeholders together in a learning process that leads to effective decision-
making and action. The approach proved to bridge the gap between research and
extension in addition to building community capital and to stimulate the improve-
ment of gender relations and good governance at the local level.