Twenty-one men and five women representing the regional Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development (Extension, Livestock, and Irrigation Directorates), Zonal and Woreda agricultural offices, participated in the training.
Participants with their extension training materials
Lynda Nicholls, CDSF International Agricultural Extension Adviser, Tadele Akalu CDSF National Capacity Development Specialist, Hailu Abay, CDSF Tigray Capacity Development Specialist, Alem G/Tsadik, CASCAPE Capacity Building Senior Expert, Fikru Haile Horticulture Team Leader and Haile Abay Senior Fruit Expert from Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development co-facilitated the training.
Participants discuss nursery management at a nursery site
Participants were engaged in a variety of learning methodologies including large and small group discussion and practical exercises to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to the scale-up planting of Maradol Papaya. The training included a visit to a nursery site in Endabalka, Kilte Awlaelo Woreda, where participants were given a practical demonstration in planting and papaya seed extraction. The course featured the use of posters and laminated charts in Tigrigna that visually showed how to cultivate and produce papaya.
Assefa Asres, Irrigation Senior Expert with South Tigray Agriculture and Rural Development office, had the following to say about the training:
“The training was facilitated in such a way that we were able to acquire adequate knowledge and skills in just four days. The practical sessions were the most exciting part of the training. I am confident that we will apply our knowledge and skills in our workplaces. To be honest, I have never participated in such a motivating and practical training in my life. I had some knowledge about papaya production before the training, but I have now developed the skills and would do it differently than the way I used to do.”