FAO Coordinator, Patrick Kombe, said this recently in Nkhotakota on the sidelines of a media tour of the program.

Kombe says the model aims at addressing the gap of shortage of extension workers and the impact of climate change which has been a challenge over the years.

Kombe suggests the model could be adopted in districts outside the program.

“Through this program, we have some master trainers whom we have trained to implement farmer field school methodology so we have these mentors and community based facilitators who are helping in establishing farmer field schools.

“They sit down and discuss the problems affecting farming in their area and find solutions,” said Kombe.

Through the initiative, farmers are grouped and equipped with modern farming technologies for both commercial and household consumption.

One of the beneficiary farmers’ who is also secretary of Katontho farmer Field School in the area of Traditional Authority, Malenga Chanzi, in Nkhotakota Harold Mpichi said lack of extension services was affecting productivity among farmers.

“We need new farming technics with climate change here to stay but shortage of extension workers was a barrier hence the Farmer Field School model has greatly helped us improve in our farming activities,” Mpichi said.

Nkhotakota District Agricultural Development Office crops officer, Leonard Chirwa, shares the same view.

He said through the initiative of farmer field school a lot of farmers are reached with information regarding modern technologies within a short period of time.

“This is bringing in positive results, the message that they are learning at one point they take it also to other farmers and it has helped in improving agricultural productivity,” he said.

The European Union funded Afikepo and Kulima; five-year flagship programs aimed at improving agricultural productivity and food and nutrition security.