Farmer Research Networks (FRN) refer to a participatory process of co-designing and knowledge sharing among farmers. The aim is to foster collaboration, locally appropriate solutions to agricultural challenges, and knowledge sharing. My research will both use and evaluate FRN as a tool to examine key questions around the appropriate use of improved agricultural technologies as well as alternative approaches such as agroecology.
I am working alongside my long-time collaborator, Sarah Mujabi-Mujuzi to facilitate a farmer research network in Semuto Subcounty, Nakaseke District, located just over sixty kilometres northwest of Kampala. The network will draw on the experience of both male and female farmers of different age ranges from a diversity of socio and economic backgrounds to establish a collaboration that investigates and evaluates the use and appropriateness of a range of agricultural approaches and technologies. This collaboration will investigate farmer dissemination methods including farmer-to-farmer sharing as a tool to enhance adoption of locally appropriate methods.
