Agribusiness is my learning journey – The 1st Master Trainer Network Conference to further promote successful agribusiness training

Johannesburg, South Africa, 11th of September, 2023. The Business Support Facility for Resilient Agricultural Value Chains (ABF4VC) project commenced its first Master Trainer Network Conference titled "Agribusiness is my learning journey" today, in a conference hosted by the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD.

Launched in March 2023, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in partnership with AUDA-NEPAD, implements the ABF4VC project. The project is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-funded by the EU Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) with an overall budget of 56 million euros.

The experts for successful agribusiness training approaches, such as the Farmer Business School (FBS), come together for exchanges, updates, and strengthening of an already strong network to boost African agricultural sectors further. FBS is a successful agribusiness training strengthening smallholders' management skills and business attitudes for better and diversified incomes and nutrition. More than 1.7 million smallholders from 25 African countries have benefitted under FBS, with success backed by a strong network of Master Trainers, who frequently train new trainers for FBS, cooperative management, and processing of products.

The inception of the hybrid Master Trainer Network Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 11 - 19 September 2023, has brought together 60 Master Trainers from 17 countries and more than 40 additional Master Trainers participating virtually. The diverse conference programme started with the certification ceremony for new Master Trainers and the honouring of well-experienced Master Trainers and continued with several interactive plenary sessions, simulations, and group works.

Representatives of the European Union (EU), OACPS and AUDA-NEPAD emphasized that the members of the conference with highly diversified experiences will develop strategies for the sustainable creation of jobs for women and youth and strengthen the public-private dialogue to overcome bottlenecks in the value chains.

The conference aims to update all Master Trainers regarding innovations in the various training approaches, especially on topics like climate-smart agribusiness, information and communication technology (ICT), gender transformative approaches, and inclusion. It will also refresh their knowledge of training contents, methodology, and andragogy principles. Jointly, the Master Trainers will build the basis for founding an international Agribusiness Trainer Association to ensure the sustainable continuation and anchoring of the approaches in a self-governed manner.

The ABF4VC aims to develop and improve the capacities of actors along OACPS members' agricultural value chains and to attract finance and investment towards low-emission and climate-resilient practices and value chains. A special focus is put on women and youth to enhance their livelihoods and futures. Therefore, this conference also includes updating and preparing the Master Trainers for promoting the upcoming funding opportunity within the framework of a competitive Matching Grant Fund for the cocoa, maize, and livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats) value chains in OACPS member states.