Admission number AEM-MOOCs/2022/12/800

Name MBALIRE Arthur

Semester I
Course code AEM 102
Course title Facilitation for Development
Signature
Date 20/03/2023
QUESTION 9:
Training is an important dimension in the process of agriculture development to build the
capacities of the extension functionaries. Develop a training module for a topic of your choice
considering all the aspects of the training process

Introduction
Agricultural development is the process that creates the conditions for the fulfilment of
agricultural potential. Those conditions include, among others, the accumulation of knowledge
(de Laiglesia, 2006). Narinder (2006) defines agriculture extension functionaries as the people
who take the knowledge of the improved agricultural technology from the source of its origin to
the farmers and feedback for the same. Training is one of the ways through which knowledge is
accumulated (Aguinis and Kraiger, 2009). Usually, an organization should facilitate employees'
learning through training so that their modified behavior contributes to the attainment of its goals
and objectives (Asenso-Okyere and Kristin 2009). There are many definitions of training, all
pointing to the fact that training helps people to become qualified and proficient in doing some
jobs (Dahama, 1979). According to Van Dersal (1962), for example, training is the process of
teaching, informing, or educating people so that (1) they may become as well qualified as
possible to do their job, and (2) they become qualified to perform in positions of greater
difficulty and responsibility. Training enhances productivity of workers; improves the quality of
work; enhances skills, knowledge, understanding and attitude; eliminates obsolesce in skills,
technologies, methods, and products; improves capital management; improves human resource
development, and; ensures the survival and growth of the organization (Satyendra, 2021).

Objectives of the assignment

1. To highlight the aspects of a good training manual

A training module is one structured section of a course. The content in a training module should
be designed and created, to support the learner’s intake and retention of the information it
contains.

A SAMPLE TRAINING MODULE ON GROUP FORMATION (Duration: 2 hours)

Module overview
This module aims at developing and building upon the knowledge and skills of trainers, enabling
them empower extension functionaries and their link farmer group members. In turn, these
people will provide support to their targeted beneficiaries in forming groups.

General objective
By the end of this topic, participants should be able to form their own groups
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Content
Meaning of a group, importance of forming farmer groups, issues to be considered when forming
a group and steps in forming a farmer group

Learning aids/materials
Case studies, role-play instructions and materials e.g. small sticks, ropes…, training manual, flip
charts/chalk and chalk board, markers, papers, note books, pens…

Methodology/presentation and activities

(a) Introduction
Introduce the topic by getting the learners role-play breaking bundles of sticks in
different bundles; one, two, four, six… tied in bundles. The rope may be of a fixed
length. After a number of participants have tried the exercise (while others are watching),
the trainer asks them to explain what lesson they can draw from it.

(b) Methodology
(i) Trainer guides the participants to brainstorm on the meaning of a group
(ii) Participants list situations, drawn from their local experiences, which can best be
handled in groups
(iii) Participants brainstorm on the importance of working in groups as opposed to
individuals when faced with situations listed in (ii) above
(iv) Participants list the main considerations they would bear in mind when forming a
group
(v) Participants state the reasons for bearing the considerations stated in (v) above when
forming groups
(vi) The trainer guides the participants to discuss how they will go about forming a group
(vii) The trainer develops different short case studies on group formation and asks the
participants to analyse them and come up with a conclusion on which group was
properly formed or not
(viii) Participants discuss how they would wish to see their group develop

TRAINERS’ NOTES
Meaning of a group
A farmers group refers to farmers who are working together for the purposes of solving
challenges they face in their farming business. The common ties or interests unite the members
of the group.

Why farmer groups matter in communities (UCA, NAADS & SG 2000, 2003)
a. Some situations faced by farmers can best be handled when the farmers are working in
groups rather than when working as individuals, for example, maintaining community
feeder roads and marketing of farm produce.
b. Acting as linkages between input and output markets through bulking and collective
marketing, access to credit and creating a strong position for negotiating better prices
c. Helping farmers to become easily accessible by acting as inlet channels for community
development programs
d. Farmers can easily exchange their experiences, knowledge and skills by leveraging on
technical skills of some members
e. Facilitating social cohesion and social networks

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 f. Enhancing individual accountability due to checks and balances set by the members
g. Guarantying their members when borrowing
h. Groups help farmers to pool resources to enable them undertake activities that would
otherwise have been unaffordable to an individual
i. Promoting advocacy and joint lobbying, attracting more resources and services to the
group

Issues to consider when forming a farmers group

a. The objective for which the group exists must be legal to prevent altercations with
authorities. There must be a strong reason for forming the group to attract and hold
members together; allow for group growth and flexibility to changing situations
b. Nondiscriminatory against sex and having a dispensation for special interest groups like
youth, women and persons with disability; voluntary entry, i.e., no coercion
c. Age balance in membership to ensure continuity; size of the group should not be too
small or too big to be unworkable and homogeneity in membership to avoid bulldozing or
overshadowing weaker members
d. A common vision and goal accepted by all members; strong leadership that is rotatory
and accountable
e. Legal status (having some form of registration that could be at sub county, district or
national level)
f. Keeping of records (bank account, books of accounts, member register, asset register…)
g. Choosing an appealing and attractive name
h. Having a promoter, advisor or patron

Steps in forming a farmers group

Some of the principles and steps for social action models, community organizations, and
management are used in designing the simplified step-wise approach in establishing farmer
organizations (Chamala, 1990).
1. Understanding the village community: Extension workers should enter the community
with an open mind and understand the community structure (community power structure,
problems, the vulnerable and opportunities for development)
2. Identifying potential leaders in the community: Positional and opinion leaders can be
known by asking a few individuals from the community to name them
3. Talking to the identified leaders about general agricultural development in the
community and seeking cooperation from other government and nongovernmental
organizations to help establish farmer organizations
4. Helping local leaders to call community meetings to discuss the need for and the role of
farmer organizations in agricultural development
5. Nominating core group leaders to develop or establish the farmer organization
6. Developing an organizational structure for the farmer organization
7. Developing the farmer organization’s management through education and action learning
8. Gearing up for action: Farmer organizations examine their action plans, and task groups
are set up to mobilize human and financial resources.
9. Implementing selected projects: The extension worker can help the farmer organization
leaders implement the projects they have chosen
10. Monitoring and evaluating the farmer organization progress to provide feedback

Assessment/evaluation of training success (UCA, NAADS & SG 2000, 2003)

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The coach should dedicate some time to reflect on the training and do self-evaluation in order to
ensure that the quality of the teaching is closely related to the quality of the information
previously transmitted for betterment of future trainings. The trainer can ask participants to:
describe how they will go about forming groups to address some situations, needs or problems
they are faced with in their respective areas and; choose an existing group that they are
conversant with and analyse its importance to members

Conclusion
Training has become an inseparable part of human resource development and one of the
components that enable any institution to churn out its employees as the most productive and
most suitable ones. There are three aspects to set up a training session (TNAU/NAIP, 2010), i.e.,
pre-training/planning (needs assessment, choosing venue and time, mobilizing participants,
listing objectives, preparing related content/methods/materials/exercises, sequencing the
contents/activities, identifying resource persons, preparing and selecting learning materials and
securing space); training/implementation (preparing yourself mentally, arranging the physical
environment, greeting participants and establishing the program, getting the best from the first 30
minutes of trainers, reviewing the agenda, inviting feedback on the agenda) and; post
training/evaluation (report writing and sharing, follow-up, providing support in the field and
soliciting feedback from participants on the usefulness of the training in fulfilling their
expectations). In order to be useful, an agricultural extension training must be well planned and
executed.

REFERENCES
1. Aguinis, H. & Kraiger, K. (2009). Benefits of Training and Development for Individuals
and Teams, Organizations, and Society. Annual Review of Psychology 60(1):451-74
2. Asenso-Okyere, K. and Kristin, D. (2009). Knowledge and Innovation for Agricultural
Development. IFPRI Policy Brief 11, March 2009
3. Chamala, S. (1990). Establishing a group: A Participative Action Management. In P. D.
Mortiss & Chamala S., Group management Skills/or Landcare: A trainer’s guide, p. 33-
60. Brisbane: Australian Academic Press.
4. Dahama, O. P. (1979). Extension and rural welfare. New Delhi: Ram Parsad and Sons.
5. de Laiglesia, J. R. (2006). Institutional Bottlenecks for Agricultural Development: A
Stock-Taking Exercise Based on Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa: A Stock-Taking
Exercise Based on Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa. Working Paper No. 248. OECD
Development Centre
6. Enterprise Uganda and Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries/ACDP
(2020). Grow Your Farmer Organization Manual. A manual to reorient farmer
organizations in selected value chains, to increase productivity, production and
marketable volumes through value addition
7. Narinder, P. (2006). Agricultural Extension Work. Credibility Crisis of Extension
Functionaries Project. Published in the Daily Excelsior, 9th November 2006
8. Uganda Cooperative Alliance, National Agricultural Advisory Services & Sasakawa
Global 2000 (2003). Trainers’ Manual for Strengthening the Capacity of Service
Providers for Farmer Institutional Development. UCA December 2003
9. Van Dersal, W. R. (1962). The Successful Supervisor. New York: Harper and Row
10. Satyendra, K. S (2021): Role of Training and Development in Employee and Organizational
Performance. https://www.ispatguru.com/
11. TNAU/NAIP (2010) http://eagri.org/eagri50/AEXT392/lec12.html Development of e-
Courses for BSc. (Agriculture), Lecture 17: Capacity Building of Extension Personnel

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and Farmers, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University/National Agriculture Innovation
Project