The Operationalization and Sustainability of Integrated Agro Industrial Parks in Ethiopia Project – funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Ethiopia has successfully concluded a five-day Train-the-Trainers (TOT) program on Aflatoxin Management and Control in dairy, livestock feed, and maize from 11-15 December 2023 in Adama with an objective to build the capacity of Master Trainers form regional implementing partners. A total of twelve experts out of which one is female from relevant institutions such as Regional Bureau of Agriculture, Bureau of Livestock Development, and Dairy Resource Development, experts from Agriculture Transformation Institutes, Regional Industrial Park Corporations (RIPDCs) attended the training program.
The purpose of this training was to equip the Master Trainers on how to manage and control aflatoxin in the selected value chains and cascading the training for the final beneficiaries (extension workers, farmers, farmer groups, SME) in their respective regions. Topics covered in the training include the occurrence and impact of aflatoxins, international standards, and regional efforts, identifying and analyzing of aflatoxin contamination, and mitigation options during pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest phases.
The training methodology was interactive. Trainers engaged participants in discussions and kept the forum open for feedback, queries and suggestions. These discussions and interactive sessions were supported through training material such as pre and post-test, power point presentations and handouts on participatory planning. At the end of the training, regional action plans were prepared to roll out the training and raise awareness for relevant value chain actors in their respective territories.
During the training, trainees established commodity specific cascading regional plan to roll out the training and raise awareness for relevant value chain actors in their respective territories as well as to promote the establishment of a multi-stakeholder Aflatoxin Control Platform to coordinate activities in the long run.
The participants expressed their deep appreciation for the hands-on training that enabled them to contribute in making awareness creation for the relevant value chain actors in their respective regions. By doing so, they stated that they would play important role in improvement of aflatoxins management and control system of the relevant commodities so that the RTCs and/or IAIPs could source traceable, safe raw materials with better quality.