The second farmers’ training (Training of trainers) was conducted on 18th February, 2021. The objective of the training was to train the selected farmers (Trainers) on the implementation best fit technologies that had been identified from the on-station trials. The selected farmers were then to train their fellow farmers on the same towards the popularization of the identified technologies for uptake and eventual adoption. In addition, the farmers who were implementing the on-farm trials for the VLIR-UOS project in the farms were retrained on the technology implementation and trial management in readiness for the second on-farm season (Long rains 2021). The on-farm trials are Researcher Designed-Farmer managed (Type II). The training was thus, key for effective trial implementation and management by the farmers. The training was based on a set of 6 treatments that had been had been identified for the implementation in each farm during the on-station farmers’ field day plus a control. The farmer had ranked these technologies as best performing and could also suit their farming conditions.
The 10 selected farmers had tested the technologies in their farm for the first on-farm trial (Short rains 2020) and were preparing for the second season of the on-farm trial (LR 2021). The farmer-managed on-farm trials are being used as training and demonstration farms to other farmers (Trainers of Trainers) in promoting up-take and adoption of the technologies among the community which is one of the objectives of VLIR-UOS project (IR 5). The training had targeted at least 50 trainers of trainers which was inclusive of both genders and different age groups. The training session was designed to be interactive with question and answer session after every sub-topic was covered to ensure clarity, and that all participants are engaged and active.
