Agronomist training
Balad district, Middle Shabelle region Somalia-The lead farmers training was conducted at Balcad district targeting all the seven villages of FAO targeted intervention, namely Ceel Geelow, Maqa- Carees,Garaadeela,Bulo walaal, Wargaabo, Mareerey and Gololey all in Balcad district. The target beneficiaries for the Cash+ Ag activities intervention was 1300 agro pastoralist households and 450 riverine households making a total of 1750 intervention target Deyr beneficiary for balcad district. Relief winds has targeted 10% of the total beneficiaries’ target and trained minimum 10% of the farmers in each of the 7 villages. Total Trained farmers are 175 lead framers in Balcad district, However, people who joined the groups during the training were not excluded but also benefited the information and the training.
Wanlaweyn district, Lower Shabelle region Somalia. The lead farmers training was conducted at wanle weyn district targeting all the 5 villages of FAO targeted intervention, namely Balow,Buulo Cadayga,Cumar Yarrow, Masiireey and Shalroorka all under wanle weyn district. The target beneficiaries for the Cash+ Ag activities intervention was 750 agro pastoralist households who were the intervention target Deyr beneficiary for Wanle weyn district. Relief Winds has targeted 10% of the total beneficiaries’ target and trained minimum 10% of the farmers in each of the 5 villages. Total Trained farmers are 75 lead framers in Wanle weyn district, However, people who joined the groups during the training were not excluded but also benefited the information and the training.
The lead framers were trained on various agronomist practices covered in the theory lessons for day one and a demonstrated practical training on the farms field visit in day two. Topics covered included but not limited to land preparation, planting methods and techniques, Seed sowing/crop establishment (cereal and legume), Nursery Establishment and management, Transplanting, Water use management, Field Hygiene, Basic integrated pest and disease management, Crop Harvesting and Post-Harvest handling practices including the use of hermitic storage bags.
The training was majorly participatory and farmers in both districts actively contributed to the sessions, exchanging experience from traditionally available practices of farming and planting techniques and comparing the different methods.
After the training, the participants and the agronomist have agreed and set an action plan and started to mobilize the rest of the beneficiaries in the villages and organize them into groups for demonstration of various good agronomic practices assisted by the trained lead farmers in each of the villages to disseminate the information to all the farmers.
Challenges encounters- There were no major issues, However, floods have affected roads leading to some villages inaccessibility due to muddy and improper roads, the most affected are two riverine villages Gololey and Mareey in balcad district, hence, limited accessibility has delay some activities like mobilization and seeds distribution as well as conduct the agronomist training on the planned dates. However, it has finally improved and accessibility resumed. Hence, all the planned activities conducted. farmers were mostly busy with the plantations, punctuality on arrivals and departure during trainings required a lot of flexibility and that was tough in some of the session and the team has complied set with their best times and finally in some village some non-participants for the training will want to attend and sit in the training for this case, we were allowing them sit and participate the sessions that shows they were eager to learn as well.
During the training the Community requested for mosquito nets, and ploughing tractors to improve their productive and farm yields.
The training went well in all the districts and community appreciated the opportunity given and the assistance packages received dos far. Participants promised to utilize experience and skills gained during the two day trainings and named it very useful for the living and framing activities. Equally the farmers in the two district has benefited nutrition training.
Nutrition training.
Nutrition Champions training was conducted successful in both Balcad and wanle weyn districts and based on the criteria in the facilitator’s guide the champions were selected from the seven (7) target villages of intervention in Balcad and the 5 target villages in Wenla weyn district. A total of 24 champions (14 for Balcad and 10 for Wanlweyn district) were successfully trained in both districts. The champions after the training have started conduct the training at village level in the respective villages and took adequate time with the beneficiaries in the villages, that was aimed to enhance the adoption of knowledge by the households in the community of practice and it went well and has helped the community as part of the daily project ongoing mobilization for all the target households.
The training was participatory and included both lectures, group work, role play and practical activities. The training of nutrition champions training took place for four days with each day covering a specific topic of discussion in length as below; Day 1: Feeding the Family Day 2: Food Safety and Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Day 3: Cooking Demonstration season for demonstration on small scale local foods show and Day 4: Gender mainstreaming and nutrition.
The Farmers Agri-nutritional training coupled with the distribution of the seeds and agricultural farm tools has greatly impacted the lives of the agro-pastoral and riverine community in the target districts through increased production of crop yield in the 2019 Deyr session.
