2015-03-27 |
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Farm Africa Staff take up new Africa-UK Agricultural Scholarships
Farm Africa has entered into a new relationship with the Marshal Papworth Fund which will see African development workers undertaking an intensive short course in sustainable agriculture at a leading UK agricultural college.
Farm Africa has nominated eight candidates for the course, four staff members and four from partner organisations. Three come from Kenya, two each from Ethiopia and Tanzania and one from Uganda. Irish charity Self-Help Africa will also nominate staff to attend the course.
Shuttleworth College
The ten-week course will be held at Shuttleworth College in Bedfordshire and will start at the end of April. The course has been carefully tailored to meet the needs of beneficiaries with the key being practical application of knowledge, rather than textbook application. Wherever possible, learning will take place through fieldtrips and in a hands-on way, rather than in the classroom. There will be modules on the use of mobile technology in agriculture, post-harvest management and technology, and the importance of good nutrition to support healthy growth and prevent illness.
The course will be as much about “soft” skills as technical knowledge. Training other trainers is vital in order to spread skills in isolated rural communities yet too often training can be misinterpreted or forgotten. Students will learn how to pass on knowledge in a user-friendly, visual and practical way. Just as important, students will learn how to communicate with and influence people to help ensure “buy-in” for community programmes.
Farm Africa staff are excited about the forthcoming course and see it as a huge opportunity.
Edgar Kadenge, senior project officer
for the Sorghum and Green Grams value chain project in Kitui region
in Kenya says:
“By interacting with tutors and other students
from different countries, I anticipate to share and learn of the
experiences, challenges and successes of agriculture and ultimately
implement any innovative cost effective and high impact technologies
once I am back home.”
Tumaini Mkenge has been working on the Smallholder Sesame Production and Marketing project in Babati District in Tanzania. He explains: “This is an opportunity to learn new skills and knowledge that will help me to serve better poor farming communities.”
