Agricultural Education and Training (AET) is a fundamental component of long-term sustainable development. However, for the past two decades, a lack of funding and support has resulted in vastly diminished capacity of previously robust agricultural institutions. Modern AET investments remain critical to develop sector capacity and improve global food security.
Going forward, investors must consider the “lessons learned” from past initiatives in order to best direct their resources. USAID tasked Weidemann Associates to review past AET efforts, identify sound practices to emulate, and highlight pitfalls to avoid in the future. In January, Weidemann held a roundtable to gather input from over 20 AET experts with diverse experiences in the field. In April, Weidemann released a comprehensive synthesis paper that lays out precise recommendations for international donors on the best ways to move forward with AET. The paper, linked under “Supporting Resources” below, explores the critical knowledge and information services that AET institutions provide to create a qualified human resource base for developing countries.
This seminar outlined the history of USAID’s investment in Agricultural Education and Training and highlighted key recommendations from the synthesis paper.