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CORAF builds the capacity of staff responsible for managing agricultural technology parks and community immersion poles

From February 5 to 9, 2024, in Dakar, Senegal, CORAF organized a regional meeting to assess, plan and build the capacity of staff managing agricultural technology parks and community immersion hubs. Delegates from eight West African countries attended the meeting. The main objective was to take stock of activities in 2023 and plan actions for 2024 to set up agricultural technology parks and community immersion poles. The workshop also served to reinforce the teams' capacities in financial reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and communication.

A total of thirty-seven (37) participants, representing countries implementing theFood System Resilience Program (FSRP) and projects such as "Technologies et Innovations Agricoles pour l'Accroissement de la Résilience des Systèmes de Production et des Exploitations Familiales en Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre (TARSPro) andInitiative de Coordination de la Recherche, de l'Extension et du Conseil Agricole en Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre (iREACH), took part in the workshop.

This was followed by a session to draw up and revise the Annual Work Plans and Budget (AWPB) for 2024, aimed at aligning strategic objectives with the real needs of local communities and market trends. This crucial step enabled participants to define clear and achievable objectives for the year 2024, taking into account the lessons learned from previous years.

Participants also benefited from capacity-building sessions on Monitoring & Evaluation, Communication and Knowledge Management. These sessions deepened their knowledge and skills in the effective management of agricultural technology parks, focusing on accurate data collection, communication and visibility, as well as technology sharing and dissemination.

The meeting was an opportunity for participants to share best practices, exchange knowledge on innovative agricultural technologies and discuss communication approaches to increase the visibility of agricultural technology parks and community immersion hubs. For the players involved, this initiative represented a crucial opportunity to exchange knowledge, discuss best practices and collaborate to strengthen actions in favor of sustainable agricultural development.