Nearly 120 dairy farmers, farm managers, extension officers and other professionals in the fast-developing dairy sector in Sri Lanka have successfully completed a training course, organized by HollandDoor, in sustainable feed and waste management. 

 

Every week, the trainers spent several hours online with the participants. The trainees made their own feed plan, learned how to assess their cows and explored the business aspects of farming. A highlight of the course was a practical session, in which participants assessed a Dutch farm and its cows through a video connection. 

 

Though the online training of practical skills can be challenging at times, this training event has shown that it is certainly possible and effective! The following comment from one of our participants sums it up adequately:

 

“I was excited to be part of this training program. Though I am not an academic, I tried to keep up with others. It was very interesting and packed with learning activities. I would like to thank AIDA (All Island Dairy Association) and the other institutions for organizing it. And a special thanks to the trainers that made the training informative and interactive. The practical sessions were awesome.”

 

HollandDoor and ZOA are jointly implementing a Nuffic-funded program called “Enhancing the knowledge and skills of extension workers and farmers in efficient irrigation and climate-smart agriculture in Anbar Governorate – Iraq”. Experts from HollandDoor, ZOA, and Al-Khiamiat Organization for Agricultural Development and Instruction conducted a five-day training program in Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar, for staff of the irrigation and agriculture departments. The training covered the following topics: 

Throughout the training, participants worked in small groups on their own agri-business cases and value chains for products grown in Anbar. Participants and their colleagues will implement parts of these business plans together with farmers in Anbar in the near future. HollandDoor, ZOA, and Al-Khiamiat experts will provide “hands-on” support to government staff and farmers in Anbar Governorate within the framework of the Nuffic training program in the coming period. These activities will eventually make the horticultural sector in Iraq more competitive and resilient to climate change.

 

 

A group of experts, selected by the Jordanian Agricultural Engineers Association (JAEA), is following a two-year training program to improve their knowledge and skills, and to become ‘master trainers’ for farmers and other stakeholders.

 

The training introduced the first two groups to the cultivation aspects of hydroponics and integrated pest management and provided tips on how to convey their usefulness and relevance to Jordanian farmers. 

Another aspect addressed during this training is managing the climate in greenhouses to create ideal conditions for plant health and yield. 

 

Using modern cultivation techniques, such as NFT systems, aquaponics, and protected structures, goes hand in hand with good cultivation skills but also an understanding of the market demands and the financial feasibility of investments. In the next article you can read that just recently, the Jordan master trainers visited the Netherlands to learn about cultivation practices, collaboration, and value chain management from Dutch growers.