PROFEIG is a four-year action research project to promote farmer innovation and thus contribute to food security and conservation of resources.
The project will explore how anchoring research and outreach within local communities can enable positive and constructive exchange of experiences and knowledge among researchers, extension workers and farmers.
It is in this context that relevant local innovations can be identified and characterized, supported and improved together and promoted and thus contribute to increased food production and sustainable resource conservation.
objectives
Build capacity within agricultural research institutions, extension services, NGOs, community organizations and local communities for effective support of peasant experimentation and innovation in natural resource management.
Accelerate the spread of good-productive innovations that focus on the sustainable and environmental conservation of resources, to resource-poor farmers for improved livelihoods and household food security.
Promote political and institutional arrangements that recognize the relevance of farmers’ innovative knowledge and capacities in the development process and build on them.
Develop and subsequently apply a reproducible methodology to stimulate and creatively use peasant innovation based on a better understanding of the context and dynamics of experimentation and innovation.
Forge a national and sub-regional partnership for sharing knowledge, experiences and good practices.
Methodology
PROFEIG has opted for an approach based on partnership between different organizations for capacity building, characterization, documentation, experimentation and dissemination of innovations.
The program first proposes a partnership (NGOs, farmers’ organizations, local communities, research and extension structures) built around participatory research and development and around priority national themes focusing on innovative and conservative farming practices. environment with a strong footprint of peasant innovations.
Expected results
The achievements that PROFEIG hope to achieve.
More availability of appropriate innovations at a lower cost.
Improved production, conservation and biodiversity through the application of more innovative and effective resource conservation practices that are readily adoptable by large numbers of resource-poor farmers.
Gradual introduction of peasant experimentation and innovation methodology into research and extension programs.
Establishing mechanisms that facilitate greater participation of innovative farmers in policy formulation.
Establishment of mechanisms to ensure that decision-makers are informed about the process and results of the peasant experimentation and innovation methodology
Promoting the institutionalization of peasant experimentation and innovation in current agricultural and natural resource management policies of governments and donors.