Short Course Training

Developing and delivering practically-oriented, high impact short course training

Changing market demands resulting from integration into global value chains and the transformation of subsistence to commercial agriculture, are drivers of increasing complexity of farming systems and agriculture value chains. Agriculture and agri-business curricula offered by higher education institutions are slow to be updated in line with changes and, as a consequence, graduates are ill-prepared for the demands of modern agricultural value chains.

Private sector stakeholders emphasised the need for practically-oriented, high-impact courses able to bridge the gap between the skills needed in this fast changing environment. Existing courses are too theoretical and abstract. Courses need to develop practical skills which will require revitalisation and renewal of the curriculum offered by higher education institutions. New curricula must be developed in collaboration with the private sector. Stakeholders also expressed their willingness to make available practitioners who are able to teach the delivered short courses.

ABLI will play a leading role in the design, development and delivery of short courses for developing the practical strategic leadership, business management, entrepreneurship, technical skills of current and future managers in agricultural value chains. The courses will target senior, middle and entry-level leaders and managers working in farming operations (both subsistence and commercial), agri-businesses and various parts of the agri-logistics value chain, as well as staff working in organisations supporting selected value chains.  

Preliminary skills development themes identified in the assessment of priority training topics undertaken by Jimma University and the views of private sector stakeholders include the following:

Table 1: Skills Development Themes and Topics

Theme	Topics
Strategic Leadership	Strategic planning and implementation
	Change management
	Strategic organisation
	Market analysis and marketing strategies
	Problem-solving strategies, decision-making and delegation
	Strategic communication
	Conflict management and negotiation skills
	Leading teams
	Leading technological change and innovation
	Project development and finance
	Global and regional value chains
	Internationalisation of agricultural commodities
	Risk analysis and management
Business Management	Strategic management in agriculture
	Financial management and control in agriculture
	Marketing and supply chain management in agri-business
	Business planning in agricultural value chains
	Operations management in agricultural value chains
	Team building
	Business communication in agriculture
	Human resource management in agricultural value chains
	Safety and quality management in agriculture
	Communication and networking
	Business decision-making
	Export marketing and development
	Project management in agriculture
Entrepreneurship	Market analysis and opportunity identification
	Enterprise development and business planning
	Project development and financing
	Resource mobilisation
Technical	Poultry farming
	Dairy value chains (including, milk processing, feeding and nutrition of milking cows)
	Phyto-sanitary requirement
	Food safety and quality standards
	Integrated pest management
	Floriculture management
	Greenhouse management
	Beekeeping

Although the priorities identified by private sector stakeholder emphasised the need for business and entrepreneurial skills, the ABLI is ideally positioned to facilitate the delivery of technical skills development across a broad range of industry.

Joint curriculum task teams need to be established in each of the selected value chains, consisting of Jimma University curriculum specialists and private sector representatives. These task teams must map out the specific strategic leadership, business management and entrepreneurial skills development needs through hosting of curriculum design workshops. In this way, ABLI will play a key role in ensuring that value chain actors become active participants in the process of curriculum development.

It is critical to ensure that the pedagogical approach embeds practical learning and skills development opportunities in the curriculum. Strategies such as the use of case studies, development of scenarios, role-play opportunities, and simulation of real-world experiences should be employed to provide experiential learning opportunities. Pedagogies that stimulate participatory and experiential learning methods, discussion and critical thinking, and problem-solving through teamwork must be employed.

The courses must be delivered on a cost-recovery and revenue generation basis.