The training courses funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of the Government of Japan, have a significant component of follow-up with ex-participants through visits and surveys. It provides an overview of the participants' progress in implementing their action plans, highlights the challenges they have faced, and offers insights to plan future activities.

In early April 2024, Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director of ICA-AP along with Mr. Hirofumi Kobayashi, Executive Director and Ms. Oshita Eiko from the Institute for the Development of Agricultural Cooperation in Asia (IDACA) Japan visited Nairobi on a follow-up mission. These participants had previously attended the training programs, an initiative designed to enhance food security and promote sustainable agricultural practices across the continent. This program is particularly critical as Africa remains a priority region for Japan in its global strategy to foster agricultural development. The training equips participants with knowledge of the development of agricultural cooperatives and underscores the significance of supporting farmers with small landholdings. By visiting agriculture cooperatives and farmers' organizations in Japan, India, and Thailand, the participants get to witness first-hand, the transformative power of these people-centered organizations. During the visit, the ICA-AP-IDACA team held in-depth discussions on the progress of action plans with participants from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Mauritius. These interactions provided valuable insights into the practical challenges and successes encountered in implementing these plans.

Read the full article by Mr. Iyer here.