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The farmer field school (FFS) is a season long training of farmers involving participatory activities, hands-on analysis and decision making. Because it requires significant investments in time, trainers and other facilities, the approach can be an expensive way of diffusing new science-based knowledge and other information to farmers. However, if [...]

The paper is organized as follows. Section 2 briefly describes the farmer field school extension approach, while Section 3 discusses the potential of formal and informal farmer-led diffusion mechanisms to enhance the fiscal sustainability of this approach. Sections 4 and 5 present evidence on the fiscal sustainability issue from the [...]

The limitations of conventional methods of training and information provision on natural enemies are discussed. Farmer and popular understanding and perceptions about natural enemies are described. Lessons drawn and limitations encountered in traditional research and extension ‘top-down’ educational activities are examined and some of the more promising approaches are described. [...]