A total of 147 participants, including thirty women, M&E experts, zonal and regional AGP coordinators and focal persons participated in the training. AGP 2 PCU M&E experts, regional Bureau of Agriculture, Planning, Monitoring Director, CDSF regional CD Specialist and zonal CD officers facilitated the training.

The training focused on project design, developing project M&E systems, data collection tools, data quality assessment tools (Lots Quality Assurance Sampling and Routine Data Quality Assessment), report writing, success stories, case studies and tailored manuals. The facilitators used various learning-by-doing techniques such as small group work, gallery walk, plenary discussions, video, and posters.

pic10Participants most appreciated the experiential learning model as well as the tools & instruments they received. They described the data quality assessment tools, quality report-writing and success stories as important to achieving their objectives.  All woredas promised to rollout the trainings to woreda AGP implementing agencies and kebele level implementers in the future. Participants rated the training as effective, relevant and applicable.

Andualem Limenih, AGP Coordinator of  Wonberima woreda, had the following to say about the training.pic11

 “I have worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources for more than 15 years in different positions including as AGP coordinator. During this time, I had participated in different trainings. However, I consider this training special for many reasons. I have learned new approaches towards RBM, data quality assessment tools, etc. I believe In this training, I have gained more  skills  that will  help me to  tackle problems that affect data quality and strengthen the M&E system  in the woreda. I strongly urge the regional team to provide job embedded and follow up support in order to apply the new skills and tools”                                                         

At the closing of the workshop, Gizachew Chemere, North Gondar Zone Bureau of Agriculture (BoA) head, urged participants to share the training materials with their woreda heads and colleagues so that the tools and skills gained from the training cascades down to others.

Ato Mengistu Dilnesa, Director of regional BoA Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Department, said that the training was very relevant & useful and will improve M&E competencies that a majority of participants lack and helps to improve AGP performance and achieve Agriculture targets of the region. He thanked CDSF & PCU team on behalf of BoA.