Knowledge Management Capacity Development Building Capacities to Empower

Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Building Capacities to Empower Farmers to Manage Risks at Farm Level: lessons from experience K-Sharing & Learning Workshop Wednesday, 12 December 2018 Lusaka, Zambia

Building capacities to empower farmers to manage risks at farm level: lessons from experience | K-Sharing & Learning Workshop | 2018 Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Partnership Framework for Capacity Development (CD): The case of ARM training in Ethiopia Presenters: Institution: Ilaria Tedesco on behalf of Kinfe Asayehegn GEBREEYESUS Gideon Edu ONUMAH Hawassa University, University of Greenwich, PARM Contact: kinfe. asayehegn@gmail. com/kinfe 85@gmail. com G. E. Onumah@greenwich. ac. uk

Building capacities to empower farmers to manage risks at farm level: lessons from experience | K-Sharing & Learning Workshop | 2018 Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Aim of the CD initiative q. Primary objective of the CD in ARM is to: Empower smallholder farmers to identify, prioritise and holistically manage agricultural risks using best available agricultural risk management (ARM) tools. q. Expected outcome being to: Boost Ethiopian smallholder farmers’ productivity, household income and resilience as their capacity to manage agricultural risks in a holistic manner is enhanced.

Building capacities to empower farmers to manage risks at farm level: lessons from experience | K-Sharing & Learning Workshop | 2018 Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Pilot CD initiative launched involving: Partnership between University of Hawassa and PARM aimed to: § Train extension workers to train farmers; § Improve generation, access and sharing of ARM knowledge in a holistic way; § Develop framework for integration of ARM in academic programs in universities and ATVETs (based on adapted set of training materials); § Promote partnerships between private and government institutions.

Building capacities to empower farmers to manage risks at farm level: lessons from experience | K-Sharing & Learning Workshop | 2018 Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Partners involved pilot training and their roles q. PARM § Finance, commissioning, coaching, technical assistance and guidance § Development of the content and material § Setting up agenda for CD, Risk assessment study q. Hawassa University • Contextualize the material; Implementation of training course; • Follow-up and reporting, including individual risk assessment and action plans • Inputs for future activities of institutionalization the ARM. q. MOALR- Co-organizing, official support, legal representative q. ATA- Mainstreaming ARM

Building capacities to empower farmers to manage risks at farm level: lessons from experience | K-Sharing & Learning Workshop | 2018 Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Direct and indirect benefits for farmers q. Indirect benefits § Farmers’ training § Advisory services § Services and packages delivery

Building capacities to empower farmers to manage risks at farm level: lessons from experience | K-Sharing & Learning Workshop | 2018 Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Strengths and weakness of the approach q. Strengths § Multiple working partners/ multidisciplinary nature § Co-setting of agendas/ no single line of learning § Use of local institutions/ self development q. Weakness § Continuity/sustainability of follow-ups § Financial limitations/scaling-up at grassroots level § Reaching and convincing different officials/commitment(? )

Building capacities to empower farmers to manage risks at farm level: lessons from experience | K-Sharing & Learning Workshop | 2018 Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Scaling up CD in ARM: key targets’ training needs Smallholder farmers – primary target: q. Risks perceived; but capacity for more objective assessment missing q. Limited access to and capacity to effectively assess available ARM tools q. Limited capacity/role in design and delivery of ARM tools provided Development Agents (extension officers): q. ARM does not feature much in current training curriculum q. DAs focus on “technology-based push” approach with little attention to ARM Others: ØATVET staff/experts/ARM providers – limited knowledge of holistic approach

Building capacities to empower farmers to manage risks at farm level: lessons from experience | K-Sharing & Learning Workshop | 2018 Scaling up CD in ARM: approach Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Multi-faceted training methods § Trainer-directed delivery of a planned curriculum – based on revised ATVET curriculum; using customised materials produced by PARM and piloted Hawassa University (in May 2018) § Training-discovery-based approach to learning – encouraging trainees to form own views; assisted with video documentaries, field visits and experience sharing Local ownership of CD § Involving wereda-level officials in programme design/delivery at kebele (FTC) level; farmer feedback system to improve programme delivery and ARMs Programme sustainability to be achieved through: a. Embedding ARM training programmes into existing programmes at various levels; b. Aligning the CD in ARM with other programmes e. g. National Disaster Risk Management and donor/NGO initiatives c. Use of local resource persons wherever possible (e. g. DAs at FTCs) Pursue cascading effect through: i. ii. From onset, train selected staff of all 19 TVETs in the country to mainstream ARM in courses for regular students – who are prospective DAs Foster sharing of knowledge and skills among DAs (as peers) and from farmer-tofarmer

Building capacities to empower farmers to manage risks at farm level: lessons from experience | K-Sharing & Learning Workshop | 2018 Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Scale up CD process: approach 1. Development Agents: main trainers of farmers at village (kebele level) 2. Farmers: Model farmers (trained to be involved in training) other smallholder farmers 3. Other trainers to be trained: Staff of ATVETs to train existing DAs and own students (prospective DAs) ØAgricultural Experts at Regional, Zonal and Wereda levels (quality control) ØFederal-level extension personnel and other policymakers ØARM providers in Ethiopia (benefit from training in holistic approach and resource persons in training on available ARM tools)

Building capacities to empower farmers to manage risks at farm level: lessons from experience | K-Sharing & Learning Workshop | 2018 Knowledge Management / Capacity Development Conclusion – key success factors q. Partnership: generic, evidence-based material but customised to meet local needs and context q. Integration into curriculums (universities/ATVETs): long-term impact q. Involvement of ARM providers and farmers’ influence through feedback: improve quality and suitability of ARM tools q. Embedding CD in ongoing programmes: cost-effective and contributes to sustainability