Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for - Aseanipm ...

Section 6 • Simultaneous Insect Pest and Disease Management
steps
1. Divide big group into five small groups. Before hilling-up operation, each group should observe
and record the crop stand, plant vigor, weeds present, pest and disease occurrence, etc., in
adjoining organic vegetable fields of learning field. Each small group will then do hilling-up
(e.g., hands-on) in half of the plots assigned to them in learning field. The other half will not be
hilled-up for comparison.
2. Every week thereafter, each group will record the same observations they made before hillingup
operations. After every observation, participants should brainstorm in small groups to
summarize their observations but present the same to the big group every other week. The
summary of weekly observations should be printed in Manila paper.
3. After final observation, conduct participatory discussion in a big group to allow sharing of
experiences among participants and facilitators. Synthesize and summarize outputs of small
groups into one big group output.
4. Draw up conclusions and recommendations from this exercise.
For the simulation and brainstorming exercise:
How long will this exercise take?
• Thirty minutes to one hour for field walks and
observations in organic tuber crop fields; and
• Thirty minutes to one hour simulation exercise and
brainstorming session in processing area.
learning objectives
• To make participants aware of and understand the
role of hilling-up operations in the management of
organic tuber crop pests; and
• To learn and share with co-farmers appropriate skills in hilling-up operation for organic tuber
crops.
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when is this exercise most
appropriate?
ɶ In FFS, TOT, and VST
sessions, when tuber crops
are about a month after
planting or transplanting;
and/or
ɶ When organic vegetable
farmers want to learn and
understand how hillingup
can be used as a
management strategy for
insect pests of tuber crops.