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Learning ecology of IPM/FFS: the impacts of sustainability and health of agroecosystem

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Abstract

Farmer field school (FFS)/integrated pest management (IPM) functions as a facilitative mesosystem in Agricultural Innovation Ecosystems, spanning across problems and sectors. It addresses the interface between farmers and the environment, opening new trajectories for sustainable transition and promoting healthy agroecosystems. This paper applies the bioecological model to feed the community capital framework with field evidence of the impacts of two IPM/FFS projects from Iran using participatory approach. The findings demonstrate that farmer field schools (FFSs), through the proximal process, foster reciprocal interactions among farmers, enhancing human capital by unlocking their learning potential through the acquisition of new skills and abilities. Additionally, FFSs encourage the sharing of knowledge and skills among participants, contributing to their overall growth and development. Findings also reveal that the timeline of FFS for the growing season makes networking possible with trainers, researchers, decision-makers, and consumers. Drawing on these results, the bioecological model in a participatory manner can be applied to mapping out the pathway of FFSs’ impacts at various levels toward a healthier and sustainable agroecosystem. By using these insights and results, decision-makers can connect and guide programs for developing micro-agricultural knowledge and innovation systems to foster a sustainability transition in agriculture more realistic.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to National Science Foundation for funding this research (Grant Number 92007291). We also thank Mr. Sharifi Moghadam and Dr. Alipour for their help in field work. Furthermore, we express our sincere thanks to Shahid Beheshti University for funding this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Penn State University, State College, USA

    Hadi Veisi

  2. Department of Agroecology, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

    Hadi Veisi

  3. Department of Sociology, Colorado State University, B261 Clark, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    Michael S. Carolan

  4. Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran

    Hassan Esmaeilzadeh

  5. Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    Sahar B. Toulabi

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  1. Hadi Veisi
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study’s conception and design. Data collection and analyses were conducted by HV and SBT. The initial draft of the manuscript was authored by HV and HE, with commentary provided by MC. Subsequent revisions were carried out by HV and SBT, and the final review and approval were performed by MC. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Hadi Veisi.

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Veisi, H., Carolan, M.S., Esmaeilzadeh, H. et al. Learning ecology of IPM/FFS: the impacts of sustainability and health of agroecosystem. Environ Dev Sustain (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-04444-x

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