FAO/Odai Heddawi

Transforming agricultural practices and strengthening the long-term resilience of farming households and communities across the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR) might appear challenging after more than fourteen years of crisis, which resulted in fragile and unsustainable production systems. However, working hand in hand with the local communities, this objective has proven to be achievable when seeding knowledge in motivated communities.

With support from FAO’s farmer field schools (FFS), implemented under the Building Local Resilience in Syria (BLRS) phase 1 project, funded by UK aid, a group of women farmers in Deir-ez-Zor have set an example in strengthening social cohesion, enhancing community engagement, and improving the livelihoods of rural farming communities by spreading practical and science-based techniques towards better production.

The 25 women who attended practical sessions at FAO’s FFS in Tishreen village in Deir-ez-Zor governorate have learned about producing nutrient-rich silage and organic liquid fertilizers, as well as calculating precise nutritional needs for livestock. Seeing immediate benefits, they eagerly shared the information with fellow women farmers in the neighboring areas by conducting their own spontaneous FFS sessions. 

The first parallel session was a resounding success, with 12 women from the Tishreen FFS joining forces with five additional women farmers who had been eager to participate but were unable due to capacity constraints. They delved into the curriculum, sharing knowledge and hands-on demonstrations with infectious enthusiasm.

The ripple effect was immediate. In the days that followed, the five women farmers who attended the parallel session further disseminated the FFS approach to their neighbors and fellow dairy producers in the village. They quickly organized a second parallel session, this time attracting 15 eager women participants from outside the FFS.

"The parallel sessions have been a game-changer for our community," expressed Mona Ali Al-Hamada, the FFS facilitator in Tishreen village. "The women farmers have truly embraced the FFS philosophy and are empowering each other to adopt these transformative agricultural practices" she added.

The success of the parallel FFS has demonstrated the power of peer-to-peer or farmer-to-farmer (FtF) learning and the multiplier effect that can occur when knowledge is shared freely and enthusiastically. This inspiring story serves as a testament to the transformative potential of the FFS approach. By fostering a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing, the FFS has ignited grassroots empowerment in Tishreen, one farmer at a time. The women of this community have improved their farming practices and uplifted their entire village, inspiring others to adopt the beneficial, sustainable, climate-smart agriculture practices.

The Tishreen FFS is one of 390 FFSs contributing to the enhancement of good agricultural practices (GAP) and climate-smart agriculture (CSA) across five governorates in Syria: Aleppo, Deir-ez-Zor, Hama, Homs, and Rural Damascus. The FFSs target more than 9 000 farmers to become more productive, resilient, and knowledgeable about the best practices for climate-smart farming.