For Farmer-Leaders

A companion guidebook of the Farm Business School Training Manual

Capacity Building of Small Farmers in Entrepreneurship Development and Market Access (TCP/PHI/3402)
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 Introduction to the Farm Business School (FBS)

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The Farm Business School (FBS) enables farmers to learn and improve their knowledge,
change their attitudes and enhance their skills toward improved farm commercialization.
This learning takes place at village level and farmers' capacity in entrepreneurial and
management skills is built via a "learning by doing" approach. Extension officers and lead
farmers are trained as facilitators and then organize seasonal training courses, where farmers
work in small groups at their own pace using materials that have been specially designed for
the schools.

a program of learning
designed to help small holder
farmers in producing for the
market making their farms work
profitably.

a venue that brings farmers

together to carry out collective
and collaborative action to
address business and marketing
 intended to teach farmers
problems and opportunities.
how to produce certain
crops or manage livestock. It
a group of like-minded farmers is assumed that they will
who want to develop their skills already have this knowledge
and know more about or can acquire it through
producing for the market. other sources.

 a set of lectures. Exchanges

a forum for sharing knowledge
between farmers through
discussion, practical exercises
and self-study.
of information and
knowledge are facilitated
through the
meetings/sessions, with
observations, dialogues, and
discussions.

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 1

 Introduction to the Farm Business School (FBS)

Focus on content not the training facility

The Farm Business School ‘classroom’ can be a classroom in a
school, a formal training venue, a meeting room in a
cooperative, or even outside under a tree. Equipment is kept to
a minimum. A white board or chalk board, markers, chalk,
pencils and exercise books make up the majority of the
teaching and learning ‘equipment’.

Experiential learning
Participants in the Farm Business School learn by doing. This
includes exercises in the 'classroom', field trips, visits,
presentations and demonstrations.

Farmer to farmer learning

There are no experts who know everything or have all the right
answers. Most of the participants have something to share and
something to learn. They draw from their personal experiences. They
help one another understand how things work in the real world.

Matching the farm season

The program is organized to match the activities of the farm
season. Planning is done before the land is ploughed or new
livestock is purchased. Marketing is addressed as a part of the
planning what to produce, but it is also looked at again before the
harvest is due.

Facilitation not teaching Learning by doing Demand responsive

and interactive

Farmers who participate in the
FBS learn by working together.
Each participant, including the
facilitator, is responsible for his
or her own learning. The role of
the facilitator is to make sure all
the materials and activities
are in place and to guide the
learning process.
Learning in the FBS is a process
of discovery through
discussion, practice and
reflection. Practical exercises
are conducted during the
School period around a single
enterprise and reinforced by
application to the individual
farm enterprises managed by
the participants on their own
farms.
While some of the subjects
to be covered are set by the
FBS program, the FBS will adapt
to the new needs that arise and
ideas that are generated from
the participants. They can help
choose subjects and exercises
for inclusion, as well as areas of
concentration for the training
program.

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 2

 Roll-out of FBS Meetings

2
The FBS Farmer's Training Program is comprised of meetings structured around the crop or
livestock cycle along with optional meetings that can be held by the FBS as and when
required. The meeting/sessions are the heart of the FBS and the “learning by doing”
approach. The classroom is in the field, this allows surrounding farms and markets to be the
learning material, the participant to be able to learn from real live examples and it puts the
extension workers in the participant's domain. Training is related to the seasonal cycle of the
crop or livestock enterprise or enterprises selected. The topics of each meeting are related to
the stage of the enterprise at a particular time throughout a seasonal cycle. The school
builds on sharing of experiences among participants and a minimum of lecturing.

The training materials are designed around the concept of the farm business cycle. This is
described using the following diagram.

Diagnosis and
finding Planning
opportunities

Evaluating Implementing

Marketing Monitoring Producing Organizing

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 3

 Roll-out of FBS Meetings

The FBS training program covers all four of these aspects of farm business management. The
program is divided into three parts: 1) Diagnosing and Planning, 2) Implementing; and 3)
Evaluating and Re-planning.

Part 1 – Diagnosis In this part of the program, participants set up the FBS and how to
and planning run it. Farmers agree on what parts of the program to cover and
(conducted prior to when they will hold meetings. They also set goals for their farms and
the beginning of then develop business plans to achieve those goals. Then they work
the production through a series of
season) exercises to learn how
to examine their farms
and to plan for the
coming season. They
will develop an initial
farm business plan
which will be
implemented in the
next season.

Part 2 - In this part of the program, the participants implement their farm
Implementing business plans. They will choose from a menu of modules that cover
(conducted during various aspects of managing a farm
the production business. The choice of modules is
season) left to the participants to decide.
They are designed to be used
whenever is the right time in the
season.

Part 3 – Evaluating When the season is over the participants start the third and last part
and re-planning of the program. The participants
(conducted after review their Farm Business Plans
the production and evaluate how well the plans
season) worked. What worked? What did
not work so well? They re-assess
their farm businesses and make a
new Farm Business Plan for the
next season.

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 4

 3
Flexibility is the main ingredient of the FBS. The FBS program can adapt according to local
situations, farmers' necessities and their diversity. It should be pointed out that the models
below are not distinct and there are likely to be situations when farmers can associate with
more than one model type.

Model 1: Support to existing or new farm enterprises

Farmers who join the FBS may already be growing crops and livestock However, they
may have little (if any) commercial experience and the focus of the FBS here will
require skills to be developed for commercial farming. In other instances the focus of
the FBS may be to encourage farmers to look for new commercial opportunities by
adding new crops and livestock to their farming systems.

Model 2: Formation of farm enterprise groups

Farmers maybe organized into groups around some crop or livestock activity. The aim
of the FBS will be to follow the local pattern of group organization and enhance
commercial farming skills.

Model 3: Establishment of a common FBS enterprise

The focus and attention of the school can be placed on a single, common enterprise
that all participants have an interest in. If the participants do decide to create “FBS
enterprise(s)”, ensure that clear rules are agreed upon and written down by all
participants. All participants will need to share the costs of inputs, labor, etc., in an
equitable manner that is agreed by all the participants.

Model 4: Post-technical production training

Some farmers may be interested in the FBS as an activity that builds out from previous
technical training that they may have received. The FBS could be viewed as a graduate
program for these farmers.
 Organizing and Managing the Farm Business School

There are four contexts in which a Farm Business School is likely to be set up. It is important
that the most relevant context for each FBS is considered first so that planning responds to
farmer group needs.

Participants have not previously been set up Participants have not been set up as a group
as a group and have no knowledge of which but members know which enterprise to
enterprise (s) to work on. focus attention on.

grouped grouped
enterprise knowledge enterprise knowledge

Participants have already been set up as a Participants have previously been set up as a
group but have no knowledge of which group and have already chosen an
enterprise (s) to work on. enterprise.

grouped grouped
enterprise knowledge enterprise knowledge

In all four cases there are two additional scenarios:

1. the participants have basic management skills; or
2. the participants have no previous management exposure.

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 6

 Organizing and Managing the Farm Business School

There can be six broad categories of farmers:

1. Farmers with large farms that are fully commercialized

2. Farmers with medium-sized farms that are commercialized
3. Farmers with small-sized farms that have been commercialized for some time
4. Farmers with small-sized farms that have been more recently commercialized
5. Farmers with small-sized farms that are producing in part for the market and
partially for home consumption
6. Farmers who farm primarily for home consumption (subsistence)

Participating farmers could come from established farmer groups (associations,

cooperatives, producer groups) or they could simply come from the same area. It is
preferable that farmers come from the same locality (to minimize travelling time) or speak a
common language. Although it is not a strict prerequisite, it would be preferred if the
farmers selected were functionally literate and had understanding of basic numeracy.

The following qualities are looked for when recruiting and selecting participants:
 Genuinely interested in what FBS has to offer
 Willing to commit to the FBS program and timetable
 Recognize the need to produce for profit and for the market
 Currently practicing market and profit-orientated farm character, or have the
potential to do so
 Interest in being a facilitator of farmer-to-farmer learning
 Experience in farming for profit, and for the market
 Good communication and interpersonal skills

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 7

 Organizing and Managing the Farm Business School

The FBS group goes through various stages in the course of the FBS program. The facilitator
can intervene in each phase of the FBS process to help the group move through the various
stages. The facilitator also supports the group in identifying the steps and maintaining
motivation.

The FBS Life Cycle

1 Formation

2 Establishment

5 Graduation
3 Unity

4 Performance

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 8

 Organizing and Managing the Farm Business School

Groups usually take from two to six months

to form and become stable and active. The
facilitator finds the balanced pace for
establishing the group.

When first establishing a group farmers ask a

lot of questions about the purpose and task
of the FBS, look for guidance and leadership
and uncertain about how to behave and are
impatience for action. Farmers have a desire for acceptance by the group and a need to
know that the group is “safe”. They set about learning about the similarities and differences
among them and forming preferences. Rules of behavior help to keep things simple and to
avoid controversy. Serious topics and feelings are usually avoided at this stage. To grow
from this stage to the next, each member must give up the comfort of non-threatening
topics and risk the possibility of conflict.

3 Basic principles of group establishment

1. Keep the group small: For an FBS, you need

between 5 and 15 participants. Working Successful groups have:
with 5-15 participants will give each person
a chance to speak and to contribute his or  Members with common
her ideas, etc. But it will also create enough interests
diversity to support learning.  Clear objectives
2. Ensure 'similarities': Participants in the  Active and hard-working
group need to have more or less similar members willing to talk discuss
conditions, such as economic, social, etc. and debate
Having more similarities than diversity,  Regular meetings
reduces conflict, increases trust etc.  Members who have equal
3. Encourage a participation and democracy: rights to talk and make their
Participants can decide who can join the point
group, what rules the group should have,  Member who can make
what activities will be undertaken and that decisions
all decisions be taken by everybody  Written rules and norms
agreeing to them. The group must also be agreed and enforced by all
committed to carrying out the agreed
decisions.

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 9

 Organizing and Managing the Farm Business School

This stage is characterized by competition

and conflict in personal relations. Participants
have to try and understand other participants
and this will require them to “bend” their
feelings, ideas, attitudes, and beliefs to suit
the group. Because of "fear of exposure" or
"fear of failure," there will be an increased
focus on how the group works and the rules
set.

At this stage some participants may withdraw from the FBS, but this must not stop the “work
in progress” of the group or the FBS itself. There may be changes in participants' behavior
based on emerging issues of competition and hostilities. Because of the discomfort
generated during this stage, some participants may remain completely silent, while others
attempt to dominate.

In order to progress to the next stage, participants must move from a "testing and proving"
mentality to a problem-solving mentality. It is possible that a group may get to this point
and then stop working. This can happen at any stage of the group life cycle. In most cases,
the facilitator listens and helps resolve issues so the group can move to the next stage.

At this stage the team is starting to become

fully independent and more effective; it is
performing. A major challenge at this stage is
to ensure good communication and flow of
information between participants. This could
be expressed by sharing feelings and ideas,
providing feedback to one another, and
exploring joint actions. Participants usually
feel good about being part of a group that is
working.

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 10

 Organizing and Managing the Farm Business School

At this stage, participants will have good

personal relationships. They will be relying on
each other. Participants will work
independently as a group. In this stage
participants will be good at problem solving,
analyzing and taking action and will be
productive. Each participant will be self-
responsible and will be confident. There is
strong unity, group identity is complete,
group morale is high, and group loyalty is
intense.

This final stage is when the FBS comes to the

graduation of participants from the school. A
planned event usually includes recognition
for participation and achievement.
Graduation gives participants an opportunity
to continue collaborating after the FBS is
over. It is important that the participants
evaluate their experience and how new skills
and abilities puts them in a better position to
manage farming as a business. The FBS
Training of Farmers Manual has exercises to
cover these points.

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 11

 4
Conduct a focused group discussion with selected farmers to determine where they
currently stand with respect to their knowledge, skills and attitudes. Encourage participants
to speak freely. Identify current knowledge gaps and shape the FBS program to cater to
farmers' needs.

Questions that may be asked:

Why form a group?

What would you like the group to do?

What activities would you like to do in the group?

What are your current farming problems?

What problems do you have with selling?

How do you think you can solve them?

How do you think meeting together to discuss can help all of you?

What issues would you like to discuss?

 Planning Your FBS Curriculum

SECTION 1
Note the name of the barangay, potential FBS participants and record the most common
enterprises produced as well as approximate time for each of the parts of the training.

COMMUNITY

NAME OF FBS LOCATION

NO. NAME OF AGE SEX EDUCATION LAND MAIN TRAININGS ATTENDED IN

FARMER LEVEL SIZE CROPS THE PAST
GROWN MONTHS/YEARS

MAIN ENTERPRISES

PERIOD OF SEASON FROM TO

POTENTIAL TIMING

PROGRAM START (MONTH & YEAR) FINISH (MONTH & YEAR)

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 13

 Planning Your FBS Curriculum

SECTION 2
Complete the self-assessment below as shown in the following example

KNOWLEDGE/SKILL ASSESSMENT RELEVENT SESSION

profitability “want to earn in income from part 1, session 5

farms: do not know much
about the concept of
profitability”

KNOWLEDGE/SKILL ASSESSMENT RELEVENT SESSION

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 14

 Planning Your FBS Curriculum

FBS time chart: Part 1 (diagnosis and planning)

Session Date & Description of sessions Preparations (eg.

venue Materials, work to do to
prepare for the sessions)

FBS time chart: Part 2 (implementation)

Session Date & Description of sessions Preparations (eg.

venue Materials, work to do to
prepare for the sessions)

FBS time chart: Part 3 (evaluation and preparation of a new business plan)

Session Date & Description of sessions Preparations (eg.

venue Materials, work to do to
prepare for the sessions)

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 15

 Effective Facilitation

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Communication is commonly defined as the imparting or interchange of thoughts,
opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.

ONE-WAY communication

 Send
 Impart
SENDER

 Transfer
 Transmit RECEIVER
 Convey
 Express
 Give

TWO-WAY communication

 Share  Share
RECEIVER

R
RECEIVE
SENDER/
SENDER/

 Exchange  Exchange
 Interact  Interact
 Interchange  Interchange
 Make common  Make common

STRATEGIC communication

ENVIRONMENT

Assessment Evaluation

SENDER RECEIVER
message
Communicator A Communicator B
Channels
RECEIVER Verbal/non-verbal SENDER

Objectives Objectives

ENVIRONMENT
 Communication Skills

1 SOURCE
Credible, well-informed 2 MESSAGE 4 AUDIENCE CENTERED
And updated Credible, well-informed Simple, customized
And updated And addressing audience
Concerns & needs

ENVIRONMENT

Assessment Evaluation

SENDER RE CEIVER
message
Communicator A Communicator B
Channels
RE CEIVER SENDER

Objectives Objectives

ENVIRONMENT

3 MULTI-CHANNELED
Using different communication
Channels in a complementary way

5 PARTICIPATORY PROCESS BENEFIT-ORIENTED RESULTS-ORIENTED

Listen/respect, encourage, Practical help, clear, Knowledge (information/Skills),
Discuss and question Doable call to action approval (norms), Behavior
(feedback) (initiation/Continuation)

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 17

 Communication Skills

Communication styles vary very much from place to

place, from country to country, from city to city, and
from barangay to barangay. Communication needs to
be set by the local community. This is often referred
to as folk media. Folk media are traditional methods
that are used by people to talk to each other and
convey messages. Folk media can be such things as
storytelling, songs, dances, games, rituals and so on.
Using this type of communication will help in creating
lasting consciousness in participants and creating
relationships and trust it is enlightening and entertaining and cannot be easily forgotten.
In some places, personal space is highly valued and greeting is done without shaking hands.

In other places greeting is done by kissing on the cheek.

Sitting arrangements and how close people are also form
part of personal space and communication considerations.
Formality is another communication factor to consider,
some people are formal, and others can be informal.
In language there may well be a formal and an
informal way of speaking. It is good to understand
the formality or informality required in facilitating
communication during an FBS session.

Directness is also a facilitation communication factor to

consider. Some people are direct in speaking and like to
“get to the point”. Others may prefer an indirect manner of communication; it may be
considered rude to confront somebody directly with a problem. Emotions are part of
facilitation communication factors. Some people may express their emotions freely. Others
may be more reserved. Approaches to conflict are also factors. Some people may take a
conflict well and may believe that conflict is real communication. Others may avoid conflict;
yelling, expressing anger or even speaking up is seen as
rude. You have to consider these factors when
communicating in the FBS.

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 18

 Communication Skills

Perception Interest Knowledge

Emotions Personality Appearance

Distraction Listening Language

dissatisfaction panic, loss of control loss of goodwill

incomplete information incorrect information myth propagation

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 19


KISSS
(verbal)
Keep it…
Short: Distinguish between nice to include
and need to include. Too much information
cannot be remembered.
Simple: Use simple and clear information
that can be understood by all. Avoid
complicated technical terms. This will avoid
misunderstanding (rumors).
Straight: Clarify to the audience what you
are trying to achieve and summarize 'take
away' points/ messages at the end of your
session.
Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders
Communication Skills
‘REAL’
(Non-Verbal)
Give respect: Be attentive – show
involvement with participants and
subject under discussion through
facial expression and tolerance for
questions
Emphasize: Highlight important points
through use of multiple channels,
appropriate body language, and repeating
the message as needed. Use training aids
and material effectively.
Create a positive atmosphere: Ensure a
friendly and encouraging environment that
can promote learning through your smile,
words and attitude.
Listen: Ensure that all participants are active
and engaged. Listen with your ears and eyes,
and listen to words and feelings. Encourage
feedback and discussion and ask open
ended and probing questions to make sure
you are understood.
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 Communication Skills

Listening is generally used as an overall label for the complex psychological, neurological
and physiological factors involved in the understanding and retention of verbal material
presented in the spoken form

Tips to improve listening skills

 Talk less
 Avoid hasty judgments
 Focus on what you can learn
 Read the non-verbal language
 Take notes
 Let the speaker finish
 Ask questions

Adult learning or facilitation is very different from education directed towards children. Adults choose if
they want to participate in a learning process, they want to know 'why' they need to learn. They will
want to know how learning will benefit them and their families. A typical adult learning cycle is shown
here below.

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 21

 Communication Skills

Teaching Facilitation

Teaching starts from teacher's Facilitator starts by assessing the

own knowledge knowledge of the group

Teaching follows a pre-set curriculum Facilitators addresses issues

identified by the group or their
community and adopt new ideas to
the needs and culture of the group

Teachers delivers lectures to a group Facilitators uses practical, participatory

of students – usually from the front methods, e.g. group discussions
of the room. and activities in which all members of
the group participate

Information flows in just one Information flows in many

direction, from teacher to student different directions between the
facilitator and individual group
members

Teachers are concerned with students Facilitators encourage and value

understanding the right answer different views

Teachers have a formal relationship Facilitators are considered as an equal,

with students, based on the and develop relationships based on trust,
status of a teacher respect and a desire to serve

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 22

 Effective Facilitation

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Facilitate means 'to make easy'. Facilitation is the glue that holds a group together. The role
is to work with a group of farmers who are in much the same situation, to draw-out
knowledge and ideas from different members of a group, and to help them learn from each
other and to think and act together. Facilitation is about empowering others. The role of a
skilled facilitator is to create conditions in which a group can work together effectively.

The main tasks for a facilitator are:

 explain the learning objectives

 help the group set ground rules and keep them
 encourage and guide participants to think critically
 listen to participants' comments, questions and feedback
 keep focus and keep things moving
 help with observations and analysis
 help participants arrive at appropriate conclusions
 encourage participants to contribute to the discussion
 help participants to reach an appropriate consensus
 build trust
 help identify opportunities and potentials
 summarize the discussion or ask others to do so
 Communication Skills

1. Be ready Develop and practice your session plan in advance

2. Be clear State and identify clearly your session's objectives and deliver it

3. Show respect Through your effective communication skills (verbal and non-
verbal)

4. Be friendly In responding to questions

5. Be honest Through confident professional manner

6. Encourage Encourage quieter participants to share ideas and questions and

participation allow participants to talk more - use open ended questions
frequently

7. Communicate Use simple appropriate words and tones-maintain eye

effectively contact-active listening

8. Pay attention Address the needs and feeling of the group

9. Be sensitive to Make sure your session plan fits with the time available
time

10. Use multiple Use different relevant training materials and tools to assist you in
channels conveying your messages

11. Give take- Wrap up and summarize the main points in your session
away messages

Facilitation Guide for Farmer-Leaders 24