Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit - GIZ
México
Analysis of the economic and socio-environmental situation
Capacity building through the creation of Farmer Field Schools
Holistic management of grasslands and forests to improve the quality of life of communities
Dissemination and Communication of Information for Behavioural Change
Volunteers are strongly involved in communication processes to seek changes in society, thereby fulfilling four functions: informing, persuading, entertaining and educating.
Communication work is crucial for society to find out about and value natural resources, in order to increase environmental education and awareness and to contribute to a better conservation of natural areas.
The program is part of the #NatureForAll movement, which enables them to have access to effective communication tools.
Content and means of distribution must be adapted to different audiences (rural, urban, business, academic and research).
Hand Holding and support for sustaining the pilots
A crucial element of the strategy was to ensure that participating farmers were constantly hand-held and provided with both technical and material support to achieve what they had started. Each farmer was in constant touch with representatives of the implementing partner agency and this enabled them to address issues that arose along their efforts to ground the pilots.
Deep commitment of representative implementing partner agency
Close networking between the participating farmers increases cross-learning
A constant assistance is required at the initial stages of grounding the demonstration pilots
Due care is required that each and every possible shortcoming is address in order to maintain a high level of confidence
Enhancing skills through pilots of household farms
Key Hole Gardening in Individual Households
Bethany Society
Square Feet Gardening in Individual Households
Bethany Society
The awareness and exposure exercises were instantly followed by grounding and establishing pilot demonstration plots at the participating household farms. These pilots served as training grounds of appropriate natural farming technologies with the objective of enhancing the hands-on-skills to adopt and replicate the new farming techniques.
The natural farming techniques were well adapted by the farmers of the village due to its cost-efficient nature and because raw materials were readily available locally within the village.
In addition to these newly learned techniques, the series of awareness and training programs and exposure visits have aided them in developing confidence in this indigenous farming practice.
Confidence raising through exposure and cross learning
Exposure Visit to Bethany Society
Bethany Society
A three-day exposure visit to Bethany Society located in Shillong and which involved an eleven hours road journey was organized. Participants for this exposure included members of households who volunteered to pilot the various techniques on their own plots. It was during this visit that various technologies of Sustainable Climate Smart Agriculture which included techniques like key-hole gardening, square foot gardening, the various composting techniques such as bokashi, vertical and vermicomposting, housed within Bethany Society establishment were demonstrated. A visit to a full-fledged farm where these techniques have been installed on a commercial basis was facilitated. This exercise supplemented their confidence in the productivity of this practice.
A well-planned project demonstration tour was prepared and travel arrangements were organized well in advance for the farmers.
The farmers from the village selected for the exposure tour were achieved with the participation and blessing of the community leaders. They included women and young adults capable and motivated to pilot what they had learned.
Apart from building their confidence and enthusiasm in this practice, it gave them the opportunity to interact with other fellow farmers from Shillong who have undergone similar difficulties.
Experiences were shared that encouraged the commencement of this practice and provided the confidence required to sustain the pilots initiated at their own farms.
