Field schools and plant clinics : effective agricultural extension approaches to fight the coconut lethal yellowing disease and improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Grand-Lahou, Côte d’Ivoire

Field schools and plant clinics are key extension tools to fight Côte d’Ivoire lethal yellowing disease (CILY) that severely impacts the livelihoods of thousands of smallholder farmers in Grand-lahou, Côte d’Ivoire. This paper describes the processes in establishing and organizing field schools, plant clinics, Women Coconut Fairs and Women Groups in CILY-affected villages of GrandLahou. Land acquisition is one of the main issues that affect women within the coconut value chain in Grand-Lahou: women are denied access and control over farmland, and work at their husband’s plantations.