Pastoralist field schools (Этиоп)

PFS enabled and empowered pastoralists, their families and pastoral communities to understand and respond to local challenges. PFS members improved their understanding of the environment, obtained knowledge and learned additional skills which lead to improved capacity to manage available resources. PFS groups showed a greater level of cooperation and mutual help compared to the situation prior to the PFS project. PFS groups demonstrated enhanced capacity to seek self-generated solutions to problems identified by the group, generally developed through the experimentation and field analysis component of PFS, which in turn positively impacted on adoption rates of new practices and technologies.

PFS helped pastoralists to develop the skills required for informed decision-making in their environment.

As PFS members carried out PFS practices themselves and saw the direct results of the processes, they took ownership of the innovations and decisions on their livelihood activities. This was further enhanced by reduced production costs and the proceeds which the groups received from PFS practices that encouraged the members to continue with the efforts since they paid off.

Policy dialogue for institutionalizing PFS as an extension approach were successfully conducted with the federal Ministry of Agriculture and regional agriculture bureau and donors . The initial policy processes were funded by the European Union (EU) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). They involved field implementation of field schools with policy deliberations at the local Government levels and cascading slowly to the National level. Later, an FAO project funded by SDC continued with the institutionalization process at the National level, Universities and research institutions. Policy makers are now willing to use the approach in the (agro)-pastoral areas of Ethiopia.

PFS increased the abilty of pastoralists to leverage appropriate financial services through group action and improved skills and knowledge. The savings and credit schemes built into PFS interventions and resulting income generating activities contributed to an increase in financial capital. In general the money contributed benefited both men and women equally. However, in many cases women were the more frequent beneficiaries since they frequently borrowed to engage in petty businesses.

PFS activities increased the awareness of communities on the sustainable management of natural resources and its relation to group productive and income generating activities. The PFS approach, in contrast to most conventional extension approaches, strengthens the capacity of local communities to analyse their livelihood systems, identify their main constraints and test possible solutions. By merging their own traditional knowledge with external information, stakeholders can eventually identify and adopt the most suitable practices and technologies to their livelihood system and needs to become more productive, profitable and responsive to changing conditions

The PFS approach improved knowledge and capacities of stakeholders at different levels starting from Federal to communities level.

The approach strengthens individuals’ knowledge and practices whilst reinforcing collaborative learning and bonding. By learning together over an extended period of time, collaboration between stakeholders/beneficiaries is strengthened.

Part of this approach includes incorporating conflict management more strongly. Through the PFS approach, stakeholders developed a greater understanding of how to plan for and mitigate disaster, and recognized how social factors such as conflict and gender inequality can exacerbate the effects of disasters.

Many groups had set rules for dealing with individual financial requirements, as well as individual emergencies, requiring group cohesion and solidarity support mechanisms, thus enhancing the community internal safety net for vulnerable members.

Women benefited from the initiative through empowerment and income generation through livelihood diversification. Women’s empowerment – i.e. enabling their inherent potential – was considered as one of the most prominent impacts of the intervention. Changes in gender relations as a result of the PFS approach was prominent. Women appreciated the fact that the PFS groups offered the opportunity for them to discuss issues and challenges with men in an organised and moderated manner. In general, and given the prevailing cultural norms, women had the opportunity to make their voices and arguments heard in all PFS groups.

Elema Kensa, a young PFS lady member said, “Women benefit from the enclosure in many ways. Before, women used to go very far in order bring food to our livestock. But, thanks to the PFS and our enclosure now we can harvest the grass nearby and give it to our livestock. Having this grass nearby reduces the burden of the women and this is a result of the education we got from PFS.”

The community initiative led by the PFS group has taken to practicing the approach for their own livestock needs. The protected community grazing lands were fenced off, and livestock grazing was restricted and managed.

Supported by PFS training and financed through the group saving schemes, most PFS groups initiated alternative income sources, resulting in diversified livelihood options and thereby increased food security and nutrition. The domestic food situation improved since the start of PFS activities in the target area as a result of increased agricultural production and increased purchasing power to buy additional food from alternative income sources.

PFS activities increased access to input (e.g. agricultural equipment) and output markets and helped pastoralists to leverage appropriate markets and market information.

Water for human and livestock use was improved through the improved water management practices applied by the group.

By closing off grazing areas, shrubs and trees were also protected. These species can be a source of fuelwood, but are often degraded.

The PFS members developed different alternative income generating activities which range from petty business especially for women, beekeeping, purchasing animal for fattening and re-sale, and purchasing and sale of animals without fattening.