Farmers' Integrated Development Association - FIDA

In 2005 Plan International Pakistan and National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad joined hands to educate the farmers regarding modern farming techniques. Under this programme a season long training programme called “Farmers Training of Facilitators” was initiated jointly by Plan International and NARC. The trainees were the smallholders from Vehari District. The trainees were responsible to practice the learning at field level through establishment of Farmer Field Schools, Women Open Schools and Children Ecological Clubs. All 3 programmes were non-formal education programmes to be educated the farmers on different aspects of agriculture like crop production technologies, health hazards of mechanized agriculture and protection of natural enemies.

Farmers’ Integrated Development Association (FIDA) is actually a concrete result of above mentioned collaborative programme by Plan International Pakistan and National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad whereby initially Plan International supported programmatically and financially whereas technically National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad supported in the formation of FIDA.

As a result of joint efforts of both actors the limited-resource growers were educated for Integrated Pest Management and empowered to raise their voices for their rights. That was realization that lay down the foundation of FIDA as the needs of the rural population, especially of smallholders, in Vehari District was not being adequately researched which motivated these charged smallholders to establish the Farmers’ Integrated Development Association (FIDA). FIDA was founded in 2006 and was registered in 2007 under the societies registration act 1860.

FIDA is a Pakistan-based people-centered not-for-profit Non Governmental Organization working for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods to eradicate poverty. FIDA directly engages with communities, implements Integrated Sustainable Rural Development and promotes citizen participation in rural governance combined with sustainable development solutions through ‘rights-based participatory development approach. In order to advocate for and promote rights based sustainable development FIDA works both at the policy and practice levels. It requires FIDA to work at various levels including local, provincial and national levels. At the local level, FIDA works with remote rural communities, especially marginalized group such as resource poor farmers, rural women and children, unemployed youths, farm laborers and other working classes. At the provincial and national levels, FIDA works and interacts with a wide range of stakeholders including civil society groups and organizations, and coalitions & networks. FIDA has a long diversified experience in rights-based community development while promoting active and meaningful participation of male and female rural communities of Pakistan.