Verde Azul in partnership with CEAGRE has been implementing activities in component 2 of PRONEA-PSP in nine (9) districts in the South (Boane, Moamba, Manhiça, Zavala, Inharrime, Morrumbene, Chokwe, Guija and Chibuto ), by supporting the preparation, implementation and evaluation of annual district training plans designed to increase the capacities of Producer Organizations (POs) and central institutions for the development of profitable businesses and the provision of economic services to members.
The Project started with a survey of the training needs of the target group, having carried out an inventory at the level of the districts covered by the project. The inventory culminated with the identification of six (6) areas of knowledge, and at the moment we are providing training in crop production techniques, to extension workers and producers.
Verde Azul for this module, as for the previous ones, adopted the strategy of cascading knowledge transmission, where first the training technicians were trained and later they train the extension workers. In turn, the extension officers trained the representatives of the POs, with the support of VA technicians.
The pilot execution of the production techniques module took place in the district of Boane from 27 June to 06 July 2017. In the remaining districts covered, the training took place from 10 to 20 July 2017 (5 days with extension workers and 4 with POs).
The training sessions were attended by public and private extension workers, trainee extension workers, Producer Organizations, representatives of SPERs and SDAE representatives from each district.
The training took place in two theoretical and practical aspects. In theory, the main agricultural operations necessary for the production of a given crop were discussed, and later these operations were discussed using the flagship crops of each district. The practical component consisted of a field visit, previously selected (well organized, which adopt good production techniques and oriented towards the market) with the aim of capturing the attention of producers and encouraging them to improve the production techniques, already used. Then, for carrying out some activities such as the preparation of alfobre, preparation of organic compost, construction and demonstration of the use of the level, depending on the needs of each district these activities were added or reduced.
The formation of the production techniques module will be of added value for improving the production and productivity of POs, which will help in improving the conditions of the population through the adoption of good agricultural practices. With this work, VA trained 144 extension workers and 215 OPs , in the districts of Moamba, Manhiça, Boane, Chókwé, Guijá, Chibuto, Inharrime, Zavala and Morrumbene. The Verde Azul team is currently preparing the Pests and Diseases module.
