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Promoting Lifelong Learning and Satisfying Farmers' Social and Psychological Needs Through Farmer Field Schools: Views From Rural Greece |
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| Authors: | Chrysanthi Charatsari Alex Koutsouris Evagelos D Lioutas Apostolos Kalivas Eleni Tsaliki |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece;2. Department of Agricultural Economics &3. Rural Development, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece;4. Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources Institute, Thermi-Thessaloniki, Greece |
| Abstract: | Farmer field schools (FFS) represent an alternative lifelong learning approach aimed at enhancing farmers' competences and skills through nonformal education. In this study we examined if farmers' participation in FFS is motivated by their social-psychological needs and whether these needs can be fulfilled through participation in FFS. Findings revealed that the possibility to participate in FFS is higher for farmers who experience lower levels of closeness and connectedness with their community peers and for those who score low on belongingness satisfaction. Furthermore, our analysis confirmed that FFS attendance increases felt community acceptance and facilitates the satisfaction of the belongingness need. |
| Keywords: | farmer field schools lifelong learning nonformal education community acceptance need to belong |