The CDSF Oromia Regional Office conducted two rounds of Gender Toolkit Training-of-Trainers (ToT). The first round was conducted from January 14 to 17, 2019 in Bishoftu town while the second round was conducted from January 29 to February 1, 2019, in Adama city.

Fifty-seven participants (31 men and 26 women) drawn from the regional Agriculture Growth Program Coordination Unit (AGP2-CU) and Implementing Agencies (IAs) participated in the ToT training. The participants included gender experts from the region’s AGP2-CU, IAs and CDSF Zonal Capacity Development Officers (ZCDOs).

The objective of the ToT was to enhance the capacity of gender and extension experts who are working in the regional AGP2-CU and zonal Agricultural Office experts to use gender toolkit and provide support for Woreda experts and Kebele Development Agents (DAs).

The training was designed to address the interests and needs of married women (MW), female-headed households (FHHs), and men through equitable agricultural extension support in order to meet the AGP2 objective of increasing agricultural productivity and commercialization of smallholder farmers targeted by the program.

Topics covered during the four-day training included: laying the groundwork for utilization and applying the Gender Toolkit; discussion of specific tools in the AGP2 Gender Toolkit; Gender Balance Tree; and empowering rural women through community participation/conversation.

CDSF National Gender and Leadership Specialist Meskerem Mulatu and Oromia Region CDSF Capacity Development Specialist Etalemahu Demissie co-facilitated the training.

The facilitators used different training techniques such as brainstorming, small group discussion, think-pair-share exercises, role play, drama, case study analysis, video show, gallery walk and discussions on group presentations.

At the end of the sessions, participants prepared action plans for zonal and special woredas to be implemented until the end of EFY 2012.