Farmer business school (FBS): Entrepreneurship training to understand agriculture as a business.
Solución completa
FBS Training Benin
@giz Klaus Wohlmann
Micro, small, and medium agribusiness enterprises provide incomes, jobs and feed the growing population. However, entrepreneurship, despite its importance to empower farmers for business and equitable participation in sustainable economic growth, remains a marginalized field. The FBS approach has been developed by GIZ in 2010 together with partners and with the support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) as well as the World Cocoa Foundation. FBS training strengthens agricultural smallholders’ business skills for more income from diversified production. During five subsequent morning sessions, male and female producers discover that agriculture
is business and how to improve it. Different public and/or private stakeholders pool resources to implement FBS training. By doing so they reduce risks of business and open access to a wider range of services and new business opportunities. In practice, FBS complements agricultural extension and financial services.
Last update: 27 Feb 2025
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Contexto
Défis à relever
Institutionalization or sustainable anchoring of the training approach in national organizations and institutions can be a challenge since often financial resources for training material and trainers are lacking.
Post-training follow-up and coaching must be ensured to provide continuous support with record keeping and farm management tools to trained MSMEs.
The level of education in the trainee group should be a good mixture between lower and higher educational level, in order that the participants can support each other.
FBS Trainer certification needs a lot of time and financial resources.
If groundwork (approx. 1 week before the training) is not done properly, participants will have wrong expectations
Ubicación
Ethiopia
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Ivory Coast
Ghana
Malawi
Mozambique
Mali
Tunisia
Togo
Vietnam
West and Central Africa
East and South Africa
Southeast Asia
Procesar
Summary of the process
Capacity building for trainers and partners forms the cornerstone of successful FBS implementation. This comprehensive approach involves qualifying partner staff through classroom training, field learning sessions, and ongoing refresher courses under the guidance of experienced Master Trainers. By certifying trainers and integrating experiences from other countries, FBS ensures consistent quality and knowledge transfer. Moreover, support from partner ministries and institutions strengthens the integration of FBS into existing agricultural extension services, fostering sustainability. The involvement of the Agri-Business Facility for Africa further facilitates adaptation, utilization, and scalability of FBS. Lessons learned emphasize the critical role of well-trained trainers and supervisors, highlighting the importance of incorporating quality criteria and international experiences throughout the FBS lifecycle. Additionally, sustainable financing models, supported by diverse funding sources, are vital for long-term success and impact.
Impacts
- Implementation of FBS in 11 countries and 14 value chains through the Green Innovation Centres.
- 519.339 entrepreneurs have been trained thereof 41% female and 47% youth participants.
- Evaluations show that graduates increased savings, successfully took up loans and joint or registered producer organizations.
- Farmers re-invest additional income in production or use it to pay school fees and to improve the nutrition of their families.
Beneficiaries
Micro, small, and medium agribusiness enterprises
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 1 – No poverty
SDG 2 – Zero hunger
SDG 4 – Quality education
SDG 5 – Gender equality
SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities
Story
Group elaborating FBS tools
@giz Klaus Wohlmann
Aliyou Sadjo, Nyambaka, one of the participants of the FBS training in Cameroon, tells us, what he has learned.
"I found the FBS training very useful, especially the financial management tools and the practical methods for measuring my field. After the training, I made a number of changes on my farm: I now keep records of money coming in and going out, and I plan my farm operations in advance. What's more, I've understood the advantages of diversifying my production. I now grow maize and beans and sell chicks to other farmers.”
