1. EWB in Burkina Faso Noémie Paradis African Program Staff Burkina Faso
Entrepreunariat Rural Agricole, Burkina Faso
February 3th 2010
EWB in Burkina Faso Noémie Paradis African Program Staff Burkina Faso

2. What do you want to get out of this conference call ?
Your expectations
What do you want to get out of this conference call ?

3. Outline What do you know about Burkina Faso ? (3 min)
Meet team Entrepreunariat Rural Agricole! (3 min)
Agriculture sector in Burkina Faso (10 min)
The team strategy (10 min)
Questions ( 30 min)

4. What do you know about Burkina Faso ?
What is the HDI ank of Burkina ?
150/177
172/177
175/177
What %of active population is engaged in agriculture?
63%
71%
86%
Burkina Faso at a Glance
HDI:  175/177
Population:  12.1 million
Infant Mortality:  207/1,000 births
Life Expectancy:  43 years
Below Poverty Line:  45%
GDP per Capita:  US$295
Water Coverage:  51%
Sanitation Coverage:  45%
ranked 175 out of 177 by the UN
one in five children die before their fifth birthday
there are few schools
health facilities and public services - especially in rural areas.
An estimated 51% of the population has access to clean water
fewer still—only 12 per cent—have access to improved sanitation.
In a country where 86 per cent of the economically active population is engaged in (mainly subsitence) agriculture
accounting for 30 per cent of the gross domestic product
Formerly called Upper Volta it regained its independence from France in 1960 and was renamed in It has since spent many years under military rule and has endured numerous military coups.
Reducing rainfall levels and recurring droughts have continued to threaten further dersertification of the land.
The declines in rainfall and available arable land have led many of the rural poor to move to cities and towns in serach of employment oppotunities.
As a result, unplanned slums have become increasingly prominent in the country's urban areas.

5. What do you know about Burkina Faso ?
What %of population has access to clean water ?
43%
51%
68%
When did Burkina Faso gained it’s independence from France ?
1960
1969
1984
How many sector team EWB has in Burkina Faso ?
Burkina Faso at a Glance
HDI:  175/177
Population:  12.1 million
Infant Mortality:  207/1,000 births
Life Expectancy:  43 years
Below Poverty Line:  45%
GDP per Capita:  US$295
Water Coverage:  51%
Sanitation Coverage:  45%
ranked 175 out of 177 by the UN
one in five children die before their fifth birthday
there are few schools
health facilities and public services - especially in rural areas.
An estimated 51% of the population has access to clean water
fewer still—only 12 per cent—have access to improved sanitation.
In a country where 86 per cent of the economically active population is engaged in (mainly subsitence) agriculture
accounting for 30 per cent of the gross domestic product
Formerly called Upper Volta it regained its independence from France in 1960 and was renamed in It has since spent many years under military rule and has endured numerous military coups.
Reducing rainfall levels and recurring droughts have continued to threaten further dersertification of the land.
The declines in rainfall and available arable land have led many of the rural poor to move to cities and towns in serach of employment oppotunities.
As a result, unplanned slums have become increasingly prominent in the country's urban areas.

6. Meet Team ERA ! Team Leader Réseau Gestion FEPAB Other Boris Romesh
Charles
Florian
Noémie
Nasser
Cat
Rosanne
Etienne
Valérie
Meet the ERA team!!
Several engineer, but also a teacher, and 2 biologist...
Mostly all involved with WEB before, as president, JF, ...
Lot of couple : noemie and charles, Cat and Etienne, Boris and Alanna (human ressource manager), Rosanne and Youl...
International team : quebec, ontario, france, burkina faso ...
Boris
Team leader !
french
Mountain hikking lover
in BF since 2007
phd in engineering in Ontario, where he met Alanna
Chapter president
Florian
second team leader
Boris and him complete each other ; a very good team (also know as Floris or Borian..)
Before team leader of Water and Sanitation program in Burkina
Master in mechanical engineering at Laval university, quebec
Passionate about soccer and personal development
Rosanne
phd in rural agriculture
Travelled a lot : pakistan, china, bike ride from Paris to Dakar, worked in france... A world citizen !
Didn’t know about ewb before applying as an OV
Found love in Burkina...
Charles
Sept 2009
Biologist
Music lover, guitar and djembe player
Winter and mountains lover (ski, hikking, rock ckimbing..)
Travelled a lot : kenya, tanzania, madagascar, reunion island , burkina faso – was more abroad than at home in the last years ! ;o)
Etienne
More than a year now
Biologist - Laval than Waterloo
Integrated EWB just before applying as an OV
Judoka !
Catherine
Nov 2009
Mechanical engineer at Waterloo
Mali in 2006
Loves peanuts and mangos!
Romesh
english speaker from montreal
Mechanical engineer in McGill with specilisation in aeronautics
Worked 2 years in Norway in a robotics company
Love extrem sport : snowboard and mountain bike
Valérie
Coming soon!
Teaching at sherbrooke
HSO director 2 years
Burkina in 2008
president
actually teaching english at Havre Saint Pierre
Sportive girl: passionate about road biking

7. Team ERA across Burkina
Etienne
Charles
Nasser
Florian
Rosanne
Noémie
Boris
Romesh
Cat

8. Nasser, our 1rst Burkinabe volunteer !
24 years old
Master in Agricultural Economy and Environment
1rst Burkinabe intern (1 year)
Passionate about soccer (and development !)
As every EWBers… filled with ambitions and willingness to make his part !
Burkinabe volunteer program
investment in local youth leadership : build development knowledge and skills of local young leader
expand the team
take advantage of local expertise and knoweldge – Nasser..
Speak local language
Understand the cultural, social, economic and politic context
Has a background in agricultural economy and environnement!

9. But… what does a mechanical engineer do in Africa?
What passionate me :
Outdoor activities
Traveling
Dancing
Teaching and coaching
Robots (!)
..and development!
EWB and me :
JF in Mali (2006)
HSO director (2006–2008)
Curriculum Enhancement (2007)
African Program Staff (sept )
mechanical engineering because I love math and physic, and to design and build stuff..
Master in robotics : pure fun though very hard, and in strong competition with ewb ! ;o)
going overseas as an OV (now named African Programm Staff) was the more natural step after getting out of school and my involvment with ewb
wonderful opportunity to get closer to dorothy and make my part “on the field”, and learn learn learn!
will also help me define what i wanna do next

10. But… what does a mechanical engineer do in Africa?
What motivate me here :
The team energy
My partner’s motivation
My host family
The life style – centered on people

11. Agricultural Advising Sector - Farmer sLevel -
Farmers group
Field Agents
Farmers Union
Field Agents Manager
President
Representatives
NGOs
Government
Financial Institution
Market
Private sector
farmer organisation around 70s, to promote and represent farmer needs
Isolated
support from the gouvernment (technical advices, access to input..)
in the 90s the gouvernment reduced its involvment in the agricultural sector
farmers felt a need to group themself to carry out the function of agricultural support that the state had before
farmer group, association, union at provicial level, later on federation at national level
village level : farmer group (woman, fruit and vegetable, …) -> problem solving, grouped action…
union at higher lever (ex provincial) : support farmer groups with agricultural advices and services such as market facilitation
manage by representatives elected among the farmers
something has some experimented farmers that act as field agent ; those who provide the training and advices
interaction with several stakeholders that provide services (financial services, market facilitation, agricultural advices, technical support, …)
union help farmers to get acces to theses services and develpment project, like acces to credit, help in selling the harvest at a good price, technical training…

12. Agricultural Advising Sector - Union Level -
Farmers Union
Farmers Federation
Representatives
Staff
NGOs
Government
Financial Institution
Market
Private sector
Réseau Gestion
At national level : federation, to help member organisation to better serve their farmer members
in some case you find paid employes hired by the representative to bring technical support (financial management, program coordination …)
several interaction with the sector stakeholder at that level too.
Coordination of project and services among their member union
Reseau gestion 
EWB works with several union and federation 
Fédération des Professionnels Agricoles du Burkina (1997) -> t

13. Agricultural Advising Sector - Some Challenges -
Farmer level
Technical knowledge (use of fertilizer, field rotation, etc.)
Farm management (decision making, budgeting, etc.)
Lack of initiatives and entrepreneurship
Market level
Access to credit
Access to input (fertilizer, good quality seeds)
Information on markets (prices, trustable traders, etc.)
Access to market
farmer union help their members to adress the different challenge they face in managing their farm
lack of knowledge of or access to technical innovations for improved yield
Appropriate use of fertilizer and manure
Field rotation and crop choice
Irration technics
Anti-erosion system …
Lack of skills to manage expenses and ressources related to farming
unable to plan annual expenses, food family consumption, and income
financial pressure to sell just after harvest, when prices are low
Lack of initiative and entrepreneurship
Passive attitude that come from a long history of development and aid project
Farming is seen as a subsistence activity rather than lasting business
Don’t know what and how, lack of support for personnal initiatives (what do I need exactly ? who to contact? Where to find the money ? How to get it ?)
Fear to take risks
economical environment
almost impossible to get access to credit (requires garentee or personnal contribution that the farmer do not have)
access to input and market
Physical distance
Low transportation oppotunity
Few trustable contacts
Lack of negociation and marketing skills
lack of information on input and cereal market
where to find good seed at a good price ?
When is the best time to sell my cereals? To how ?

14. Agricultural Advising Sector - Some Challenges -
Union level
Services quality and efficiency
Financial resources
Farmers mobilization
Sector level
Lack of coherence between the different services providers (NGOs, government, financial institution, private sector …)
Rigid control from services providers
Services or projects unaligned on farmers’ needs and reality
Non sustainable approach
Union level -union do their best to provide support and services to their farmer member, and connect them with other services provider or NGO support
But
Managed by farmer elected among the farmer group
Low education
Low skills in human and financial ressources management, planing and time management
Structure based on social organisation
Election based on social and hierachy criteria, rather than management and leadership skills..
low room for youth and woman though they could be good contributor
Passive attitude
Most services come from external stakeholder (NGO, gouvernement, ..) that provide the required financial, physical and sometime human ressources
Focus on looking for more and more project that will bring money, instead of finding project aligned with farmer needs
A rush to carry out all the activities and fill repports, which affect the quality of services and coherence of approach (multitude of project non linked to each other..)
Low comitment and initiative from members
Several farmer group had been created to benefit from a project (external motivation), rather than to cooperate in finding solution to their problem and initiate local project (internal motivation)
Representative do not benefit from « official » salary
Low responsability and comitment among some farmers, which affect the union ability to manage services
credit non reimbursed -> deficit in union financial ressources
Farmer do not bring the cereals promised for group sale -> the union must pay the lacking cereal to a trader …
Low financial ressources
Few income activities
Farmer contribution
Percentage on group sales or credit services
Lack of skills in financial management and budgeting
Agricultural advising Sector level
A bunch of stakeholder of diferent kind (local NGO, international NGO, financial institution, private sector, gouvernement) that offer services and develop project to support farmers – a real mess!
Lack of communication beetween stakeholders -> lack of coherence
different approach
Redondancy in some region, while some other are forgotten
Redondandy in monitoring and evaluation
competition
Project design centralized at service provider level
Unaligned on real farmer needs and reality
Unsustainable approach (short time project, not enough time on the field, too much control at the top..)
Rigid control -> no room for initiatives and service adaptation to local realities

15. Agricultural Advising Sector - Some Solutions -
Farmer level (mainly by farmer union and partners)
Technical training
Business development services
Support to local initiatives
Market level (mainly by farmer union and partners)
Grouped access to credit
Facilitate access to input (ex. provide fertilizer on credit)
Grouped sale
farmer union help their members to adress the different challenge they face in managing their farm
lack of knowledge of or access to technical innovations for improved yield
Appropriate use of fertilizer and manure
Field rotation and crop choice
Irration technics
Anti-erosion system …
Lack of skills to manage expenses and ressources related to farming
unable to plan annual expenses, food family consumption, and income
financial pressure to sell just after harvest, when prices are low
Lack of initiative and entrepreneurship
Passive attitude that come from a long history of development and aid project
Farming is seen as a subsistence activity rather than lasting business
Don’t know what and how, lack of support for personnal initiatives (what do I need exactly ? who to contact? Where to find the money ? How to get it ?)
Fear to take risks
economical environment
almost impossible to get access to credit (requires garentee or personnal contribution that the farmer do not have)
access to input and market
Physical distance
Low transportation oppotunity
Few trustable contacts
Lack of negociation and marketing skills
lack of information on input and cereal market
where to find good seed at a good price ?
When is the best time to sell my cereals? To how ?

16. Agricultural Advising Sector - Some Challenges -
Union level (mainly by federation and partners)
Individual and organizational capacity building
Develop improved relations with partners
Make room for innovation
Sector level (mainly by federation and partners)
Influence donors for
more coherence among services provided
more flexibility in project design and monitoring
Etc.
Union level -union do their best to provide support and services to their farmer member, and connect them with other services provider or NGO support
But
Managed by farmer elected among the farmer group
Low education
Low skills in human and financial ressources management, planing and time management
Structure based on social organisation
Election based on social and hierachy criteria, rather than management and leadership skills..
low room for youth and woman though they could be good contributor
Passive attitude
Most services come from external stakeholder (NGO, gouvernement, ..) that provide the required financial, physical and sometime human ressources
Focus on looking for more and more project that will bring money, instead of finding project aligned with farmer needs
A rush to carry out all the activities and fill repports, which affect the quality of services and coherence of approach (multitude of project non linked to each other..)
Low comitment and initiative from members
Several farmer group had been created to benefit from a project (external motivation), rather than to cooperate in finding solution to their problem and initiate local project (internal motivation)
Representative do not benefit from « official » salary
Low responsability and comitment among some farmers, which affect the union ability to manage services
credit non reimbursed -> deficit in union financial ressources
Farmer do not bring the cereals promised for group sale -> the union must pay the lacking cereal to a trader …
Low financial ressources
Few income activities
Farmer contribution
Percentage on group sales or credit services
Lack of skills in financial management and budgeting
Agricultural advising Sector level
A bunch of stakeholder of diferent kind (local NGO, international NGO, financial institution, private sector, gouvernement) that offer services and develop project to support farmers – a real mess!
Lack of communication beetween stakeholders -> lack of coherence
different approach
Redondancy in some region, while some other are forgotten
Redondandy in monitoring and evaluation
competition
Project design centralized at service provider level
Unaligned on real farmer needs and reality
Unsustainable approach (short time project, not enough time on the field, too much control at the top..)
Rigid control -> no room for initiatives and service adaptation to local realities

17. Leverage point - Where EWB choose to act -
Farmer and market level - Support to business development services
Conseil à l’Exploitation Familiale (CEF)
Through trainings and advices from field agents
Enable farmers to
Manage efficiently their farm
Have better interactions with the market and the different services providers
Make shift from subsistence activities to farming as a lasting business
Farmer level :
the ability of the farmer to manage efficiently his farm is essential for him to be able to benefit from the other services
Technical training and support
Ability to identify which technic is better suited for his need
Abitily to find the financial ressources to buy the required equipment and technology (eg fertilizer)
Acess to credit
Ability to manage credit and financial ressources
Ability to manage a budget and evaluate possible expenses and income
Grouped sale and market facilitation
Have sufficient yield to be able to sell a part of it, beside satisfying family consumption needs
Ability to evaluation family consumption needs …
Solution : business development training and advising
training and advises on stock management, harvest planing, budget management, factor to take in account in decision making …
Enable farmers too … (see above)
involve data collection that the field agent manager analyse to better monitor the farmers progress and better support them
provided by union field agent in several union and federation accross burkina faso
But
segregation between CEF and other services (eg credit, marketing..)
few groups benefit from it
mostly men benefit from it
same services to all farmers, without taking account of their expertise and competencies
rigid content and approach + rigid control from donors ; low room for innovation and adaptation
a need in good communication, coaching and analystical skills among field agents

18. Leverage point - Where EWB choose to act -
Axis 2. CEF approach better answer to farmers needs
Farmer and market level - Support to business development services
The CEF approach is integrated to other services [approach]
The CEF approach is evolutionary [approach]
The federations are innovative organizations [organisational]
Axis 2. CEF approach better answer to famers needs – federation and sector level
The CEF approache is integrated [approach]
To programs of Input access, credit and markets
They address women and men equally.
The CEF approach is evolutionary [approach]
Resources mobilized for the starting producers are optimized
Rservices for experienced producers are sophisticated
Advisors are supported in their own improvement of KSA to better deliver CEF services
The federations are innovative organizations [organisationnal]
which proposed new solution to their constituent groups
Create and test pilots
Scale up their innovations 

19. Leverage point - Where EWB choose to act -
Axis 1. The quality of services given to farmers is improved
Union level – Individual and organizational capacity building
Field agents have better skills and tools to fulfill their tasks [individual]
Managers of unions/federations manage more efficiently information and human and financial resources [individual]
Unions/federations partners has more efficient support systems (eg. effective meetings, M&E …) [organizational]
Axis 1. The quality of services given to farmers is improved – union and federation level
Field workers have better skills in facilitation and better tools to give services of his farmer union/federation [individual]
Reporting, facilitation technics, …
Managers of unions/federations manage more efficiently their human, finacial, and information ressources [individual]
Planning, strategic thinking...
Unions/federations partners has more efficient systems [organisationnal]
Efficient meetings, M&E system of responsibilities in district, provincial, national boards, M&E system of impact…

20. Leverage point - Where EWB choose to act -
Axis 3. “ Create a national coherence around the practice of agricultural advising
Sector level– Influence the sector gouvernance
Evolve the relation between donors and farmer unions toward
A greater autonomy
A greater investment in the union
Build on the existing management network to improve the coherence of support provided to farmers
Donors take into account the need to invest in implementation capacities of CEF
Axis 3. “ Create a national coherence around the practice of agricultural advising” – sector level
1. Evolve the relation between donors and the FOs towards [sector governance]
A greater autonomy
A greater investment in the innovation and management capacities of the FOs
Build on the existing management network so that different players [sector governance]
agree on different action principles
agree on a specification of services, so that the support to farmers become coherent.
Donors take into account the need to invest in implementaion capacities of CEF
human resources, M&E systems, etc. [sector governance]

21. In summary - The EWB Strategy -
Axis 1
The quality of services given to farmers is improved
Axis 2
CEF approach better answer to farmers needs
Axis 3
Create a national coherence around the practice of agricultural advising
Axis 1. The quality of services given to farmers is improved – union and federation level
Field workers have better skills in facilitation and better tools to give services of his farmer union/federation [individual]
Reporting, facilitation technics, …
Managers of unions/federations manage more efficiently their human, finacial, and information ressources [individual]
Planning, strategic thinking...
Unions/federations partners has more efficient systems [organisationnal]
Efficient meetings, M&E system of responsibilities in district, provincial, national boards, M&E system of impact…
*axis 1 is necessary to axis 2 ; union must be able to provide efficiently CEF and their other services before looking to improve their CEF service and integrate it to the other services…
Axis 2. CEF approach better answer to famers needs – federation and sector level
The CEF approache is integrated [approach]
To programs of Input access, credit and markets
They address women and men equally.
The CEF approach is evolutionary [approach]
Resources mobilized for the starting producers are optimized
Rservices for experienced producers are sophisticated
Advisors are supported in their own improvement of KSA to better deliver CEF services
The federations are innovative organizations [organisationnal]
which proposed new solution to their constituent groups
Create and test pilots
Scale up their innovations 
Axis 3. “ Create a national coherence around the practice of agricultural advising” – sector level
1. Evolve the relation between donors and the FOs towards [sector governance]
A greater autonomy
A greater investment in the innovation and management capacities of the FOs
Build on the existing management network so that different players [sector governance]
agree on different action principles
agree on a specification of services, so that the support to farmers become coherent.
Donors take into account the need to invest in implementaion capacities of CEF
human resources, M&E systems, etc. [sector governance]

22. Axis 1. The quality of services given to farmers is improved
What about me ?
Axis 1. The quality of services given to farmers is improved
Union level – Individual and organizational capacity building of a provincial union (UPPAB)
Create and implement a professional development program for the field agents
Build trust and develop a vision
Identify required KSA
Develop tools and learning opportunities
Invest in the field agent manager’s leadership and coaching capacities
Alexandre
trust building :
Credibility (good quality work, bring good ideas, ask good question, show espertise, professionalism, clear intentions..)
Reliability (ponctuality, respect engagement, good quality work, take responsabilities…)
Friendship (share a beer of meal, humour..)
vision Alexandre :
visible result and quality of services of the field agent team among stakeholders
Motivated, dynamic and strong field agent team, team spirit
in top 5 best field agent manager of fepab
Coach futur field agent manager
KSA
Communication skills
Faciliation skills
Ability to listen
Analytical skills
Problem solving
Humility
Motivation and enthusiasm
Leadership
Coaching skills…
Tools and learning opportunities
Auto-evaluation tool
Personal development plan
Workshops and training session on different skils or subject (eg problem solving) – among field agent or between several union field agents
Pear to pear learning session
Coaching (me, other OV, alexandre..)
Montly meeting
Best practices capitalisation and sharing …
Alexandre = a leverage point
invest in his leadership and coaching capacities so he can carry on the field agents professional development
Coaching
Provide constructif feedback
To carry about the field agent skills development and motivation
Facilitation skills
Creat learning opportunities for field agent (support in the field, training, workshops, comunicate best practices …)
Encourage field agent autonomy and responsability
Monitoring and evaluation of field agent work and progress
Motivate, inspire en support field agent in their work and professional development
Role modeling
Effective activity management
Spread leadership among field agent
Effective delegation
Alexandre - Tools and learning opportunities
Personal training session on different subject
Workshop with other union field agent managers
Comment and advices on specific subject/challenges during day to day task (eg repporting)
Constructive feedback after some activities (eg. Group facilitation)
Ask thoughtful question
Framework
Training session:
How to create behavior change amond farmers
How to motivate and help field agent to develop their skills
How to give constructive feedback
Caracteristic and needs of farmers and how to better serve the different categories
Reporting
Responsabilities and required competencies for field agent managers
Usefulness of a professional personal development plan and how to use one
Impact chain (applied to CEF)

23. Axis 1. The quality of services given to farmers is improved
What about me ?
Axis 1. The quality of services given to farmers is improved
Create and implement a professional development program for the president
Build trust and develop a vision
Identify required KSA
Develop tools and learning opportunities
Invest in his leadership and management skills to improve the union effectiveness overall
Marc
trust building :
Credibility (good quality work, bring good ideas, ask good question, show espertise, professionalism, clear intentions..)
Reliability (ponctuality, respect engagement, good quality work, take responsabilities…)
Friendship (share a beer of meal, humour..)
Vision for Marc :
More time for the union and his farm and family
Ability to manage well activities and responsability
To lead the union toward a more effective and strong organisation, with better services and strong farmer comitment
Vision for union :
Reinforce the weaker links – act as a family :
Strong team spirit among farmer members (group interest more important than individual interest)
Strong engagement of members in union activities
Members are responsible, respect their engagement, take initiative for the group
Strong and dynamic farmer groups
A core of dedicated and motivated farmers that act as role model and leaders among other farmers
Get back to a strong and visible union :
Good management of activities and services
New and skilled management team
More physical ressources (building, office, warehouse…)
Strong relationship with partners
Sustainable financial ressources, that allow more and better services
Marc capacity building – KSA for a better leadership and management of the union
Planing and time management
Staff management and effective delegation
Excel, word -> be more effective to save more time
Leadership and coaching (implicit)
Tools and learning opportunities
Personnal training session
Workshop with other union presidents and program coordinators
Coaching
Comment and advices on specific subject/challenges during day to day task (eg planing)
Constructive feedback after some activities (eg. Group facilitation)
Ask thoughtful question
Framework

24. Axis 1. The quality of services given to farmers is improved
What about me ?
Axis 1. The quality of services given to farmers is improved
Support the union toward a greater quality and effectiveness of the services provided to the farmers
Carry out an organizational diagnosis of the union
Assist the president in identifying and acting on the leverage points to improve the effectiveness of the union (structure/communication/financial resources, etc.)
Assist the president and the field agent manager in developing, planning and implementing the different services provided to the farmers
Organisational diagnosis
Participative – get lots of people involved (farmer, field agent, woman and man, farmer group president, marc, alexandre, fepab staff..)
To identify the weaker links and leverage point
Communication
Farmer comitment and team spirit
Financial ressources
Services management …
Leverage point and stategy
Farmer comitment
Develop a common vision and reinforce organisational objectives and values
Spread leadership among motivated farmers
*Opportunity = manager team renewal
Contribution of farmer
Farmer keep their promesses (eg reimburse credit)
Income from some service s(eg group sale)
Services management and communication
staff capacity building
Clarify responsabilities among management team members

25. What about me ? - Challenges -
Trust building requires time and thoughtfulness
Lack of availability of people
A complete new world (capacity building and agriculture ≠ robots ! )
Cultural differences
working methods
communication rules
Gender inequality
trust building
Credibility (good quality work, bring good ideas, ask good question, show espertise, professionalism, clear intentions..)
Reliability (ponctuality, respect engagement, good quality work, take responsabilities…)
Friendship (share a beer of meal, humour..)
Availability
Farmers are several km away, low transportation opportunities
Farmers and field agent have to work in their field
Alexandre has to fulfill several manegement and implementation task, run everywhere
Marc has to carry out several responsabilities (president of member of several organisations..), do not even have time to breath
Capacity building and agric VS robotic
Human sciences sector
More difficult to modelize, more uncertainity
Need string interpersonnal, leadership and coaching skills, (no computation or mathematical problem solving required)
Agriculture
biology and life science sector ; far from machines and robot…
but their is physic behind appropriate technology principles!
Cultural differences
It’s a challenge to integrate a new working sector, a new working place, a new working team, new responsabilities…
It’s even more a challenge when worrking methods and communication rules are different, which can lead to misunderstood and mistake
A need to understand local reality and reason behing (ex. gender inequality, the importance of hierachy…)

26. What about me ? - Successes -
Partner organisation
Field agent manager (Alexandre)
Build trust and develop a vision with Alexandre
Workshops on leadership, coaching and analytical tools
President (Marc)
Initiate a vision for the union
Initiate a willingness for self development
Personal
HUGE amount of learning
Better understanding of Dorothy’s reality and complexity of the development sector
New friendships that cross over cultural differences !
vision Alexandre :
visible result and quality of services of the field agent team among stakeholders
Motivated, dynamic and strong field agent team, team spirit
in top 5 best field agent manager of fepab
Coach futur field agent manager
workshop :
How to create behavior change amond farmers
How to motivate and help field agent to develop their skills
How to give constructive feedback
Caracteristic and needs of farmers and how to better serve the different categories
Reporting
Responsabilities and required competencies for field agent managers
Usefulness of a professional personal development plan and how to use one
Impact chain (applied to CEF)
Vision for union :
Reinforce the weaker links – act as a family :
Strong team spirit among farmer members (group interest more important than individual interest)
Strong engagement of members in union activities
Members are responsible, respect their engagement, take initiative for the group
Strong and dynamic farmer groups
A core of dedicated and motivated farmers that act as role model and leaders among other farmers
Get back to a strong and visible union :
Good management of activities and services
New and skilled management team
More physical ressources (building, office, warehouse…)
Strong relationship with partners
Sustainable financial ressources, that allow more and better services
President capacity building
Planing and time management
Staff management and effective delegation
Excel, word -> be more effective to save more time
Learning
Development sector ; best practices, mistakes, challenges, complexity
EWB approach and expertise
Agricultural advising sector
Agricultural practices and appropriate technology
Capacity buiding and organisational development (framework!)
Local habits, values, tradition…
Self awareness (strengh and weaknesses)

27. Thank you ! Noemie Paradis African Program Staff Burkina Faso noemieparadis@ewb.ca
Thank you for coming to this session!
Any questions ??