Training from the 21st till the 31st of May, 2011
Regional Innovation Teams carry out the majority of activities in CASCAPE. Immediately after the selection and appointment of members of the Innovation Teams in May, the first training was conducted. The training was designed to reach common understanding of the CASCAPE objectives and approach, and to (further) develop tools and skills for the Innovation Teams necessary to start their activities in the region. The training, which took place at the Red Cross training Centre in Addis Ababa, was officially opened by Mr. Geert Westenbrink, agricultural councillor of the Royal Netherlands embassy. In total 30 newly recruited innovators participated in the training.
The training was characterised by interactive and experience-based training methods in which the knowledge of participants was used as point of departure. Theoretical inputs about the main concepts used in CASCAPE (such as innovation, best practices, sustainable innovation, stakeholder collaboration and networks, PRA, etc.) were combined with practical sessions. Discussions with external resource persons were followed by technical excursions and group assignments, which ultimately resulted in effective team work and planning of activities in the regions.
Group discussion
Photo: group discussions during training
The most important outputs according to the participants were:
- The group discussions on the different concepts and how to use them (best practices, integrated farming system management, innovations and up scaling) and the high? level of the lectures and discussions
- The participative and inclusive training methods
- The differences and similarities between CASCAPE and AGP
- How to conduct stakeholder analysis, value chain analysis, rich picture and other PRA tools such as pair wise ranking and matrix ranking
- Sharing of ideas on how to conduct experiments, base-line studies, and how to start project planning in the regions
- Team building and start with trust building within Innovation Teams and between teams.
At the end of the training each of the teams had started to develop a regional work plan.
Innovation team
Photo: Participants Innovation Teams