Training of Trainers on how to train and coach SHFs on - group sustainable livelihoods - Benefits of being in a sustainability group - Group membership
The training started at about 10:30am, In attendance were; Festus Ebozele (Master Trainer) and the extension officers (trainees) Festus Ebozele introduced the purpose of the training, what RSPO is all about and the benefit of this RSPO TOT as a means to redirecting the narrative of farmers in the co-operatives to ensure sustainability and supply of FFBs. It also focuses on training and coaching trainers who will be responsible for training SHFs on the process of RSPO certification. Diving deep into the program he stated that extension officers/trainers should bear in mind that the program is learners centered and should be taken as an interactive session as practiced and will be carried out in the field. Closing his remark to make way for the main activity of the day, he asked the officers to write down their understanding of group sustainable livelihood. Festus Ebozele also mentioned the benefits of being in a sustainability group and other opportunities.
Practical activities were carried out by the trainees which include them writing out in their own terms what sustainable livelihood and sustainability group is. These definitions were carefully assessed by all present. In the end, Mr. Festus rounded up the session by laying emphasis on the purpose of the initiative which is targeted at changing the face of agriculture through the sustainable group. Benefits of being in a sustainable group was enlisted individually, the extension officers reviewed and all agreed on narrowing it down to six major points which are: 1. Access to loan 2. Access to agricultural farm inputs 3. Increase in negotiation power 4. Provision of opportunity for gender inclusion 5. Access to agricultural extension services 6. Reduction in cost of farm maintenance Going further to group membership which involves the role of each member in a group/cooperative, extension officers were tasked with listing their unique abilities, strength and weakness in terms of organizational performance, which was done in few minutes. Festus Ebozele explained the relevance of this exercise stating that it will help farmers discover their potential and abilities in the cooperative and fuel active participation in the sustaining and managing the group/cooperative. Applying this exercise, each extension officers were assigned a role each which they have the ability to carry out with no difficulty so as to ensure effective SH training and coaching activity to be subsequently organized. These roles include; organization, mobilization, financial management, training, facilitation, coaching, liaison, documentation etc. The targeted SHFs to be trained on RSPO certification are 1,000 with an average of 100 SHFs across the 10 clusters.