Residents of remote or rural areas

The Farmer Field Schools (FFS) initiative is a participatory approach to education that promotes hands-on learning through active engagement. Its non-formal nature involves experiential learning techniques and participatory trainings in the fields, encompassing the full cycle of growing and cropping. The main objective of the introduction of FFS as an alternative to the conventional extension approaches was to sharpen farmers’ knowledge and skills through season-long FFS training in farmers’ demand-driven technology (Bunyatta and Mureithi, n.d; FAO, 2001). The initiative was introduced in Kenya in 1996, with four FFSs opening in Kakamega District, Western Province. Since then, hundreds more have been opened, mainly in Western Province (Kakamega, Busia and Bungoma), Coast Province (Kilifi and Kwale) and Central Province (Kiambu). Initially, the programme focused on maize; however, it has developed to include other crops and livestock production.

Shanghai was the first Chinese city to adopt the learning city concept: in 1999, it began to promote the lifelong development of all its citizens. At the level of policy and administration, this involved devising leadership mechanisms, reforming the city’s legal system and publishing guidance documents. On the ground, Shanghai began to offer a greater variety of learning opportunities to its citizens, including different methods of classroom teaching, digital learning, learning groups and study tours; all were designed to encourage participation in lifelong learning.

Lifelong learning villages are an initiative implemented in Mali by a French non-government organization Jeunesse et Développement, enabling young adults to participate in global development projects, with support from the British Embassy, the Stromme Foundation, Mali Development Group, the Methodist Relief and Development Fund, and DVV International. The establishment of vocational training and learning circles within the villages referred to as VITAL (‘Villages de l’Apprentissage Tout Au Long de la Vie’, French for ‘Villages of Learning Throughout Life’) aimed to increase the level of literacy and provide knowledge and skills that would benefit the local population (UIL, 2015).

Cork Learning City defines a Learning Neighbourhood as an area that has an ongoing commitment to learning, providing inclusive and diverse learning opportunities for whole communities through partnership and collaboration (O’Sullivan and Kenny, 2017). The Learning Neighbourhoods Programme aims to support and recognize lifelong learning across Cork City’s neighbourhoods.