2.4. Implementation of training activities

2.4.1 Training activities included in the CAPs
2.4.2 Selection and organization of training activities
2.4.3 Training activities implemented

2.4.1 Training activities included in the CAPs

A wide range of training subjects were suggested by the communities for inclusion in the CAPs (the range of subjects could have been much shorter if there would have been no open ended participatory planning mechanism, but rather a menu of choices). These different requests were regrouped into 15 categories, including a livestock "cluster" and an agriculture "cluster" (see Table 7).

A total of 46 different training activities were included in the 26 CAPs, ranging from training in forest management (3×), livestock (husbandry and/or health, 7×), agriculture (general, fodder, fruit, vegetable, compost, nursery, 16×), improved stoves (7×), group formation (1×), adult literacy (especially of women, 5×), public health (1×), sewing and knitting (2×), and study tours (4×)(see Table 7).

On average, 1.8 training activities were selected per community. However, 8 communities did not select any training activity. It would seem that in some communities training was not considered, such as in Firfire (Chhoprak #8) and Kolkate (Khoplang #4), while in other communities it was very specifically included, e.g. in Katubanse (Chhoprak #9) and Khurpajung (Khoplang #4). In general, the communities of the project concentration area (Chhoprak Wards #7, 8 and 9), seemed more aware of training possibilities, with on average 3.1 such activities in their CAPs. The 19 communities outside the concentration area included on average only 1.3 training activities in their CAPs.

Table 7. Training activities included in the 1996 Community Action Plans of 26 PRA communities in the Bhusunde Khola watershed.

VDC and Ward		PRA Site	Comm forest mgmt	Livestock		Agriculture						Impr. stoves	Group formation	Adult literacy	Public health	Se wing knitting	Study tour	Total
				Husbandry	Health	General	Fodder	Fruit	Veget.	Compost	Nursery
Amp.
	5	Ratdanda										X						1
	6	Simpani																-
	7	Simp. Hat										X		X				2
	9	Darmich.										X						1
Sub-total Ampipal												3		1				4
Chhop 1		Chitre
	2	Chiurib.			X													1
	2	Thumki	X						X	X								3
	2	Amarai			X													1
	3	Katarb.																-
	4	Salbot																-
	5	Faudarg.																-
	7	Majhgaon	X				X	X		X							X	5
	7	Bawalig.	X	X			X		X								X	5
	8	Tutunga				X												1
	8	Jaisith.			X					X		X				X		4
	8	Firfire																-
	8	Arub/Mat							X									1
	9	Katuban.			X	X								X	X	X	X	6
Sub-tot. Chhoprak			3	1	4	2	2	1	3	3		1		1	1	2	3	27
Sub-t. Ch. 7+8+9			2	1	2	2	2	1	2	2		1		1	1	2	3	22
HarmB		Harmi B.																-
	6	Nawalpur										X						1
	6	Ghimireg					X	X			X							3
Sub-total Karmi							1	1			1	1						4
Khop.
1		Suntale										X						1
1		Falamkh.								X		X		X				3
4		Belbas		X		X								X			X	4
4		Kolkate																-
4		Khurpaj.		X									X	X				3
Sub-tot. Khoplang				2		1				1		2	1	3			1	11
Total 26 PRA c's			3	3	4	3	3	2	3	4	1	7	1	5	1	2	4	46

Training was often not included as main activity, but as supporting activity. For instance a CAP may include fruit tree planting as main activity, and subsequently under inputs from other institutions is included "District Agriculture Office should provide technical support and training". Therefore, inclusion of training is often the result of a more detailed activity planning, while the absence of training as specific activity does not mean that those communities would not be interested in such training activities.

2.4.2 Selection and organization of training activities

Selection of training activities

Too many different subject matters had been included in the CAPs, and it was clear that the project would have to select the most relevant and/or most requested subjects. Those subject matters that had little to do with the project mandate were the first to be excluded from the training program, notably public health and sewing and knitting training. It was decided not to reject the request for adult literacy classes, especially those targeted at women groups, because literacy skills are perceived as essential to build sustainable and active user groups.

The nursery techniques training was rejected because the project had previously (in 1993) organized such a training, without much enduring effects, and because the related nursery establishment (physical) activity was found to be not feasible.

Livestock "husbandry" and "general" agriculture training were rejected because these subject matters were either too vague, or too wide to be fitted in relatively short duration training events.

Training requires competent trainers and resource persons. Whenever such resource persons could not be found locally at modest costs (e.g. other line agencies and local NGOs), the project was inclined to reject the proposed training. This was for instance the case for improved stoves training, for which only expensive (national) NGOs could be identified.

In the case of livestock health training, which was also rejected, the question of follow-up, i.e. equipping local animal heath workers and stores, seemed essential for the training to be meaningful, and too much for the project to handle.

Thus, out of the proposed 46 training subject, 13 (28%) were rejected by the project.

Organization of training activities

All these training activities had been proposed by user groups and/or communities, and they were primarily interested in training events in their own village, in which a substantial group of local farmers would be able to participate, rather than training in a more central location with only one or two participants per community.

This meant that the whole organization of training activities had to be adjusted to fit these desires.

Thus, trainers and resource persons had to go from village to village to conduct training events, which implied detailed planning and field verification beforehand. This, for instance, to check whether the communities were genuinely interested in the proposed training events that they had included in their CAPs, and whether there were maybe additional user groups that would also be interested in such training, but had not reflected this in their CAPs.

It was also necessary to verify whether the proposed training was actually valid in every location. In case of vegetable production training (as a start of income generating activities), some of the proposing community seemed too far away from any market, and the training was partially rejected.

At the village level, farmers, especially women, are usually very busy, and can not spend much time in training (or PRA) events. So training plans needed to be adopted to such a situation, preferably with several half-day or evening sessions⁴.

⁴ When training is centrally organized (i. e. in the office or in base-camp), and only representatives of communities participate, longer training sessions can be held.

After completion of the PRA and Planning exercises, in January 1996, and before the onset of the rainy season, in June 1996, priority had to be given to the implementation of physical activities. Training events were scheduled largely to take place after the rainy season, from September 1996 onwards.

2.4.3 Training activities implemented

A total of 15 proposed training events that had been included in the 1996 CAPs were implemented by the project in 1996 and the first half of 1997 (Table 8). Thus, out of an original total of 46 proposed training activities, 13 were rejected, and only 33% were actually implemented, though of the 33 "accepted" training events 45% were realized.

A two-day Forest management workshop was organized, with the assistance of the District Forest Office, from 14-15 November 1997 in Chhorkate Base Camp, with 29 representatives (including 4 women) of 7 Forest User Groups. Thus, where 3 communities had requested such training, 7 actually participated in the workshop.

Ten one-day Compost making workshops were organized in 10 different locations in the period of 4-13 August 1997, with 117 farmers (including 61 women) of 10 different user groups. Thus, where 3 communities had requested such training, 10 actually participated in the workshops.

Table 8. Implemented training activities included in the 1996 Community Action Plans of 26 PRA communities in the Bhusunde Khola watershed.

VDC and Ward		PRA Site	Comm forest	Livestock		Agriculture						Impr. stoves	Group formation	Adult literacy	Public health	Se wing knitting	Study tour	Total
			mgmt	Husbandry	Health	General	Fodder	Fruit	Veget.	Compost	Nursery
Amp.
	5	Ratdanda
	6	Simpani
	7	Simp.Hat
	9	Darmich.
Sub-total Ampipal
Chhop 1		Chitre
	2	Chiurib.
	2	Thumki	X															1
	2	Amarai
	3	Katarb.
	4	Salbot
	5	Faudarg.
	7	Majhgaon	X							X							X	3
	7	Bawalig.	X						X									2
	8	Tutunga
	8	Jaisith.								X								1
	8	Firfire
	8	Arub/Mat							X									1
	9	Katuban.												X			X	2
Sub-tot. Chhoprak			3						2	2				1			2	10
Sub-t. Ch. 7+8+9			2						2	2				1			2	9
HarmB		Harmi B.
	6	Nawalpur
	6	Ghimireg
Sub-total Harmi
Khop.
	1	Suntale
	1	Falamkh.								X								1
	4	Belbas												X			X	2
	4	Kolkate
	4	Khurpaj.											X	X				2
Sub-tot. Khoplang										1			1	2			1	5
Total 26 PRA c's			3						2	3			1	3			3	15

Five two-day Vegetable production training workshops were organized in 5 different locations in the period of 8-17 December 1996, with 129 farmers (including 108 women) of 8 different user groups (of 7 different communities). Thus, where 3 communities had requested vegetable production training, 7 communities actually participated in the training, though this included only 2 of the requesting communities.

Sixteen two-day Self-reliance training workshops (i.e. group formation and strengthening) were organized in 16 different locations, in which 302 farmers (including 150 women) of 51 user groups participated. Thus, where only 1 community had specifically requested a group formation training, user groups of more than 20 communities actually participated.

Five six-months Disadvantaged groups capacity building training (i.e. adult literacy classes) were conducted, under sub-contract by a local NGO, from December 1996 to July 1997 in five locations in 4 different communities, and in which about 100-125 illiterate members of disadvantaged caste/ethnic groups (including more than 90% women) participated. Thus, where 3 communities had requested adult literacy classes, the project organized such training in 4 communities. However, these included only 2 of the requesting communities. A different NGO, under subcontract from a different donor, conducted adult literacy classes in the 3rd community that had made the original request.

One Farmers exchange visit/in-country study tour to Nuwakot was organized from 25-28 December 1996, in which 26 user group members (including 20 women) from 8 different communities of the Bhusunde Khola watershed participated. Thus, where 4 communities had requested a study tour, 8 actually participated.

Several other training events also took place that covered subject matters included in the CAPs, however, they were not the actual training requested, e.g. the Participatory livestock and agroforestry development planning workshops (January 1996); or they were targeted at different communities than those that had made the request, e.g. the Horticulture field days (October 1996 and January 1997).