Promotion of sustainable agricultural mechanization for enhanced efficiency, income and resilience among smallholders

1 March 2023. Promotion of sustainable agricultural mechanization for enhanced efficiency, income and resilience among smallholders.

The Webinar is part of the ongoing activities under the project titled “Promotion of sustainable agricultural mechanization for enhanced efficiency, income and resilience among smallholders” which is funded by GIZ.

This Webinar aimed to share key lessons and achievements from the ongoing project, with a focus on 

• The field activities in Benin 
• Gender and mechanization and 
• The E-learning course on “Small scale agricultural mechanization hire service as a business enterprise.

Speakers:

• Welcome Remarks - Joseph Kienzle, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Rome, Italy
• Opening Remarks - Isaias AngueObama, FAO Representative, Benin
• Brief introduction to the project and an overview and objectives of the Webinar - Joseph Mpagalile, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Rome, Italy

Panelists:

• Rodrigue Gohoungbe, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Benin Project coordination and implementation in Benin: Key activities accomplished in Benin and lessons learnt
• Marius Aina, Ministry of Agriculture, Benin Capacity development and promoted mechanization postharvest technologies
• Flavia Grassi, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Rome, Italy. Gender and Mechanization and scaling of technologies
• Joseph Mpagalile, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Rome, Italy E-learning course on “Small scale agricultural mechanization hire service as a business enterprise

Background:

FAO is implementing a project in Benin on “Promotion of sustainable agricultural mechanization for enhanced efficiency, income and resilience among smallholders”. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development through GIZ. The goal of the project is to enhance the efficiency, resilience, and income of smallholder farmers, especially women and youth, through the promotion of sustainable mechanization and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). 

The expected outcome of the project is increased access and use of sustainable agricultural mechanization technologies and innovations among smallholders, especially women and youth, in the quest to increase productivity, efficiency and timeliness of operations. 

The project’s key areas of interventions are 

1. Further developing and promote e-learning materials for small scale mechanization hire service providers; 
2. Fostering improved postharvest handling of crops including storage; 
3. Promoting women friendly SAM solutions and enhancing women’s participation in market-oriented agriculture; and 
4. Supporting the integration of the Green Innovation Centres for the agriculture and food sector (GICAF) in the nationally promoted innovations supporting the Frameworks for SAM in Africa.

Related:

Green Innovation Centres for the agriculture and food sector

• Title: Green Innovation Centres for the Agriculture and Food Sector (GIC)
• Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
• Co-funded by: European Union (EU), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC
• Country: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Togo, Tunisia, Viet Nam, Zambia
• Lead executing agency: Different in each country
• Overall term: 2014 to 2026