Developing colead’s training offer for local markets

In response to an increasing number of requests for support from producers operating mainly in local markets, COLEAD has taken the initiative to adapt its management and market access training. This has involved the development and implementation of a pilot training course based on tools developed by the FAO, in particular the COQUA Level 1 and Level 2 tools. These tools are designed to improve the skills of extension workers and facilitators working with producer groups.

The implementation of this first on-site training through the FFM SPS programme, carried out in collaboration with ANCAR THIES for two producer groups, enabled key modules such as “commercial negotiation and the marketing contract” and “monitoring and recording” to be addressed. The session, facilitated by an expert selected by COLEAD and an ANCAR supervisor, received positive feedback, demonstrating the effectiveness of this collaborative approach.

Given the importance of supervisors in the learning process, COLEAD has also developed specific training for them. The aim of this initiative is to prepare them to use the COQUA tools for marketing agricultural products, thereby strengthening the marketing department of producer groups. Feedback from the 2022 training sessions for ANCAR (Senegal) and FENACOPAB (Benin) highlighted the need to adapt and integrate the COQUA tools into a structured training context. This led to the development of a training guide for trainers and supervisors to optimise the delivery of training sessions to groups.

Following a first version of the guide developed between April and August 2023 through the FFM+ programme, collaboration with a new expert was initiated to refine the content. This approach will lead to the use of the tools during a training of trainers session planned for the beginning of the first half of 2024, focusing on the marketing of agricultural products.

This next session will take place in Nairobi from 18 to 23 March 2024 and will aim to prepare and facilitate the training of trainers on the FAO COQUA tool. The focus will be on marketing, with the aim of strengthening trainers’ teaching skills so that they can effectively transfer commercial and management skills to smallholder farmers and farmer groups.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) and Fit For Market SPS programmes, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.