Dissemination of knowledge and skills of potato crop management through farmer field schools in Uganda

Abstract

The Potato Program of the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) has generated a number of technologies on potato crop management for dissemination to farmers. Farmer field schools was one of the technology uptake pathways chosen through which farmers could “learn through discovery” the potato management practices with emphasis on controlling potato late blight. A survey was conducted through a structured questionnaire to assess farmers’ knowledge and skills prior to farmers’ enrolment in the schools. Sixteen schools were established in Kabale district with enrolment of at least 24 participants per school. A curriculum was then developed to cover 15 weeks following the crop phenology and farmers’ attendance in each school was restricted to once a week. Results from the survey revealed that potato was the third most importantfoodcropandthebestincomeearnerineachofthecommunitiessurveyed. Morethan80%of the farmers rated late blight and bacterial wilt as the two most important potato problems. More than 40% of farmers controlled late blight through chemical application. Host resistance and integrated disease management as late blight control measures were hardly known. Farmers identified disease monitoring as the most efficient and economic means of managing potato late blight as well as attainment of higher yields and good profits.