Once a week, in a gravely backyard in Bokonbayevo, on the southern shore of Kyrgyzstan’s majestic Lake Issyk-Kul, a gaggle of local farmers squeeze onto a wooden bench and get out their pens.
This school does not give grades, but attending brings plenty of rewards, so classes are always crowded.
There’s a flip chart and coloured markers, and, occasionally, a curious goat or sheep will make an appearance. And there is always Jazgul Tolomusheva.
This is her farm, and, depending on the day, discussion topics at this Farmer Field School range from animal health to pasture management.
Trainers with specialist knowledge come to teach, but villagers are encouraged to share their own experiences and knowledge, too.
“Even if you've been in one field for years, there is always something to learn from others,” says Jazgul.
And there’s plenty to learn from Jazgul’s farm. In less than a year, her meat and milk production almost doubled, thanks to new skills and confidence she gained through the field schools that started here in 2023.
“The school helped me identify my strength...and set targets,” she says. It also gave her the courage to take out a bank loan and buy more cattle for her meat production.
The early trainings she received in climate-smart livestock rearing particularly helped her raise her farm’s productivity and income, she says.
Her animals now graze on rotation, so pastures don’t get depleted and her livestock always have fresh grass. She’s also more particular about the breeds she raises, focusing on traditional local ones that are well-adapted to the climate and produce well in harsh conditions. She monitors water quality and knows when to give extra feed or medicine to keep them healthy. Her modernized farm now serves as an example to others.
“It’s cool to be a pioneer,” jokes Jazgul, who besides her animals is raising seven children.
Like Jazgul’s farm before, many farms in Kyrgyzstan are performing below capacity. The Farmer Field Schools are part of a project by the government and FAO to change that.
When it was announced, Jazgul enthusiastically offered her farm as a classroom.
“I believe that education and exchange of experience is the key to success in the modern world,” she says.
Now, villagers also gather here to discuss and solve common problems, and Jazgul often acts as a moderator to help them make informed decisions.
“I hope my efforts will help my neighbours improve their farming methods and their quality of life.”
