1.2 Detalles de contacto de las personas de referencia e instituciones involucradas en la evaluación y la documentación del Enfoque

Nombre del proyecto que facilitó la documentación/ evaluación del Enfoque (si fuera relevante)

Sustainable Soil Management Programme, Nepal (SSMP)

Nombre de la(s) institución(es) que facilitaron la documentación/ evaluación del Enfoque si fuera relevante)

HELVETAS (Swiss Intercooperation)

1.3 Condiciones referidas al uso de datos documentados mediante WOCAT

El compilador y la/s persona(s) de referencia claves aceptan las condiciones acerca del uso de los datos documentados mediante WOCAT :

Sí

1.4 Referencia/s al/los Cuestionario(s) de Tecnologías MST

2.1 Breve descripción del Enfoque

Participatory technology testing and adaptation through farmer-led experiments

2.2 Descripción detallada del Enfoque MST

Descripción detallada del Enfoque MST:

Farmer-led experimentation is a type of action research initiated and carried out by farmers in their own fields. This approach enables farmers to identify technological options suited to local agroecological and socioeconomic conditions. The farmer-led experimentation process is taken up within existing farmer groups. This approach is closely related to the 'participatory innovation development' and the 'participatory technology development' approaches as discussed in Kolff et al. (2005). Simple experiments are usually replicated in five to ten farmers' fields per group. Generally, the whole of each experimental plot from each field is harvested and the yield recorded. Field implementation, group visits, and observations are carried out by the farmers themselves. The processing of results is done in groups together with the support staff from the facilitating organisation. These farmers are very likely to adopt tested technologies that are shown to be better for meeting their needs. The results are also used by support staff and shared with other organisations, and provide input for dissemination through farmer-to-farmer diffusion.
Farmers play a leading role in all steps of the process, starting from problem identification to planning, implementation, and evaluation of the experiments. This ensures that farmers are the driving force in the research process and not mere recipients of research findings that have been generated elsewhere. The detailed implementation plan is discussed within the groups and individual and collective responsibilities are assigned. The experimental site, individual implementing farmers, group visits, and results-sharing meetings are decided on by group consensus. Some observations are recorded by the implementing farmers. Promising innovations are then identified based on the collective evaluation of the tested treatments. Technical and other facilitation support is provided by organisations active in the area.

2.3 Fotos del Enfoque

2.5 País/ región/ lugares donde el Enfoque fue aplicado

2.7 Tipo de Enfoque

• proyecto/ basado en un programa

2.8 Propósitos/ objetivos principales del Enfoque

Local farmers collectively solving problems by identifying and using the most appropriate local solutions. Local farmers designing, testing and disseminating alternative technologies adapted to local conditions. Strengthening joint learning by farmers and development actors.
The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: The common issues concerning farmers in growing crops include pests and diseases, yield decline, inappropriate crop varieties, and the introduction of new varieties. Rather than technicians providing farmers with ready-made solutions to their problems (that may or may not work), farmer-led experimentation allows farmers to carry out their own trials to try and solve specific problems.

2.9 Condiciones que facilitan o impiden la implementación de la/s Tecnología/s aplicadas bajo el Enfoque

3.1 Partes interesadas involucradas en el Enfoque y sus roles

3.2 Involucramiento de los usuarios locales de tierras/ comunidades locales en las distintas fases del Enfoque

	Involucramiento de los usuarios locales de tierras/ comunidades locales	Especifique quién se involucró y describa las actividades
iniciación/ motivación	interactivo	participatory discussions and exercises, field visits, farm maps, farming and labour calendar, Activities: Identification of topics for experiment based on needs and priority, Identification of technological options (indigenous and external), Farmers developing simple and appropriate experiments, De
planificación	ninguno
implementación	interactivo	follow-up visits, discussions, Activities: Farmers implement according to the design for comparison with a control (= existing practice), Farmers note relevant observations on recording sheet. Farmers note other important observations based on their needs and interests, Technical support and discuss
monitoreo y evaluación	interactivo	field visit to experimental site by other farmers, participatory discussion and evaluation Activities: Experimenting farmers and other farmers jointly discuss and evaluate based on direct observations of the trial and from the record sheet, Discussion on the lessons learned and identifying possible
Research	ninguno

3.4 La toma de decisiones en la selección de Tecnología(s) MST

Especifique quién decidió la selección de las Tecnología/ Tecnologías a implementarse:

• solamente usuarios de tierras (autoiniciativa)

Explique:

Made collectively by farmers in group facilitated by organisation working with them.
Decisions on the method of implementing the SLM Technology were made by by land users* alone (self-initiative / bottom-up). Made by farmers in group

4.1 Construcción de capacidades / capacitación

¿Se proporcionó la capacitación a usuarios de tierras/ otras partes interesadas?

Sí

Especifique quién fue capacitado:

• usuarios de tierras

4.3 Fortalecimiento institucional (desarrollo institucional)

¿Se establecieron o fortalecieron instituciones mediante el Enfoque?

• sí, moderadamente

Especifique el nivel o los niveles en los que se fortalecieron o establecieron las instituciones:

• local

Proporcione detalles adicionales:

Technical support provided by project

4.4 Monitoreo y evaluación

¿El monitoreo y la evaluación forman parte del Enfoque?

Sí

Comentarios:

bio-physical aspects were monitored by land users through observations
technical aspects were monitored by land users through observations
economic / production aspects were monitored by land users through observations
area treated aspects were monitored by land users through observations
land users involved aspects were monitored by land users through observations
management of Approach aspects were monitored by land users through observations
There were several changes in the Technology as a result of monitoring and evaluation: The adoption of certain technologies has occurred as a result of farmer-led experimentation. For example, a farmer-led trial of two varieties of groundnut (local and B4), in Ghadgaon, Surkhet, led to farmers starting to grow the B4 variety in an area where previously only local varieties had been growing

5.1 Presupuesto anual para el componente MST del Enfoque

Comentarios (ej. fuentes principales de financiamiento/ donantes principales):

Approach costs were met by the following donors: local community / land user(s) (local resources, labour, land): 50.0%; other (Dev. project(inputs, external resources)): 50.0%

5.2 Apoyo financiero/material proporcionado a los usuarios de tierras

¿Los usuarios de tierras recibieron financiamiento/ apoyo material para implementar la Tecnología/ Tecnologías? :

Sí

Si respondió sí, especifique el tipo o los tipos de apoyo, condiciones y proveedor(es) :

Provided by the project for testing purposes

5.3 Subsidios para insumos específicos (incluyendo mano de obra)

Si la mano de obra de usuarios de tierras fue un insumo sustancial, ¿fue:

• voluntario?

6.1 Impactos del Enfoque

6.3 Sostenibilidad de las actividades del Enfoque

¿Pueden los usuarios de tierras sostener lo que se implementó mediante el Enfoque (sin apoyo externo)?

• sí

Si respondió que sí, describa cómo:

Some farmers are implementing the approach on their own initiative. This is possible because of the low costs and limited technical requirements of the approach. Farmers exposed to the approach will be able to apply the approach again to problems that arise in their fields without the need to consult outside agencies.

6.4 Fortalezas/ ventajas del Enfoque

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
The approach serves both as a local test for suitability and adaptation potential as well as for demonstrating an already tested technology.
Once farmers are exposed to the approach, they can apply it on their own initiative. This is possible because of the low costs and technical requirements of the approach.
Experiments are conducted on the basis of farmers' priorities and according to local conditions. This means that farmers develop ownership of the experiments and the derived results.

6.5 Debilidades/ desventajas del Enfoque y formas de sobreponerse a ellos

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave	¿Cómo sobreponerse a ellas?
Experiments are not carried out in a scientifically rigorous way and therefore only have limited scientific value for evaluating technologies.	if scientific proof is required, farmer-led experiments should be closely supported by technicians (per se not a farmer-led experiment anymore!)
Documentation of the activities and results for wider sharing is often poor and inadequate	clear guidelines are needed for documentation with clear instructions on what, when, and how to record important information. This is necessary so that the results can be more widely used.
In some cases a lack of research equipment for better documentation and observation inhibits better understanding.

7.1 Métodos/ fuentes de información

7.2 Referencias a publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

SSMP (2001) Implementation Guideline on Farmer Led Experimentation (in Nepali). Kathmandu: Sustainable Soil Management Programme

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

SSMP

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Paudel, C.L.; Regmi, B.D.; Schulz, S. (2005) - Participatory Innovation Development - Experiences of the Sustainable Soil Management Programme

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

..In Kolff, A.; van Veldhuizen, L.; Wettasinha, C. (eds) Farmer-centred Innovation Development - Experiences and Challenges from South Asia, pp. 109-126. Bern:

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

SSMP