Demonstration Programme
The recommended practice grown beside the existing practice, on a farmer's own field, in front of the village.
Nobody changes a practice because they were told to.
A demonstration plot is an argument made in public. Half the field is farmed the way the village already farms it; the other half follows the university's recommendation. Both halves get the same weather, the same soil and the same farmer, so at harvest the comparison is the only thing that has changed.
Plots are laid out with volunteer farmers before the season, monitored through it, and opened to the surrounding villages on a field day near harvest. The result is recorded whichever way it goes — a demonstration that fails is information too, and it goes back to the Directorate of Research.
On a farmer's land
Laid out with a volunteer host farmer, not on the research station.
Side by side
Existing practice and recommended practice, same field, same season.
Field day
Neighbouring villages walk the plot before harvest and ask their questions.
Recorded either way
Yield, cost and problems written up whether the plot succeeded or not.