Last week it was time for the kick-off of the tailor-made training (TMT) on ATVET Netchain Strengthening in the horticulture sector in Ethiopia! The project is part of the Orange Knowledge Programme (more info here), funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and managed by Nuffic. The project objective: to contribute to bridging the existing knowledge and skills gaps of Alage ATVET in the field of horticulture value chain development.

Through enabling exchange on highly valuable and recent knowledge in the value chain management of agricultural perishable products and linking with key sector stakeholders in the region, this TMT enables the Alage ATVET staff to acquire original and practical hands-on management skills.

Since strengthening knowledge and skills in value chain management, post-harvest management, value addition and agripreneurship are some of our favourite topics, Q-Point consultants Boaz Liesdek and Lisa Rotteveel look back on a successful kick-off: the first digital mission on value chain management (part 1 of 3)!

This course can increase someone‘s skill and knowledge, knowledge about demand, the supply chain and how to add value on our products. All of this makes the course valuable for us!

INTRODUCING: ALAGE ATVET

Alage ATVET trains agriculture technical staff to provide direct services to industries and the community, including the newly started agro-industry parks, located 10-90 km from the college. Alage ATVET was started in line with the plan of the Ethiopian Government to improve agriculture production and productivity. However, to improve the training quality and employability of graduates, more support is needed from both within and outside Ethiopia.

The value chain management (VCM) mission was the first mission for this project. However, the overarching project goal consists of three parts. Apart from knowledge and skills strengthening, there is room for upgrading the existing course materials and establishing and nurturing inclusive and sustainable linkages between Alage ATVET and the horticulture industry stakeholders and universities. Therefore, two more missions are planned, on the subjects Value Addition and Agripreneurship.

MISSION 1 (OF 3): SETUP

From 9 till 12 April, Alage ATVET and additional participants, management and lecturers from Sodo ATVET and Fitche ATVET gathered at the Ziway hotel, near Bulbula Agri Industrial Park. Due to this year’s limitations to train face-to-face, Q-Point joined digitally. With the help of local partner and consultant Fikadu Reta (Hawassa University), we were able to do a complete remote training with hybrid/blended training activities.

The Netchain Improvement Framework (NIMPF) formed the basis of the training content. The NIMPF consists of four phases:

• diagnosis
• devise change
• carry through change
• evaluation

Each training week is linked to two phases of the NIMPF tool. In this mission, we covered phases 1 and  2 (steps 1 – 7).

THE MISSION

First of all, the participants developed insight into VCM and analysis. They also learned about the NIMPF tool and how to apply it, by means of working in small groups on a specific business case with a focus on one value chain. Three self-selected chains were investigated, all from a different stakeholder perspective: the local beef, tomato and onion value chain.

The mission started on day 1 with the theory about VCM. On the second and third day, the theory was combined with practical assignments on elaborating on the value chain business cases per group. On the last day, all groups presented their findings to each other.

Despite the well-known challenges in today’s online world and the inevitable power cuts, we can look back on a successful first digital mission. On to the next two!